Snapshots
by Dreams on Wings
Summary: Before they became heroes, they were just regular kids! Adventure Universe
1. Aftermath

_Prologue: Aftermath_

_**Terrorist Bombing in Nerima - Residential district in Hikarigaoka suffers structural damages, no injuries**_

_Tokyo, Japan - At approximately 12:41 a.m. Sunday morning, the first of a series of loud noises erupted from the 14th__ floor of the Kiku building of the residential complex in Hikarigaoka. The next one occurred on the street directly below as a car was seemingly crushed. Residents within a five-kilometer radius of the Kiku building then reportedly felt minor quakes for the next hour or so. Witnesses say that around 3:15 a.m. "fireballs" began flying through the sky. These fireballs - which authorities have declared to be bombs - would continue and intensify for the remainder of the night.  
__Authorities are currently investigating all of Hikarigaoka. While the incident has been ruled as a terrorist attack, the perpetrator has not been determined.  
_"_We don't have any leads as of now, but we are doing our best to solve this case and bring the criminals to justice," officer Hida Hiroki told on-site reporters.  
__While damage is extensive, no injuries were reported. At least two buildings in the complex were damaged, as well as a stretch of Hanabi Avenue and an overpass bridge along the stretch._

_**

* * *

**_

_**Recent Bombing in Nerima Threatens Housing and Job Markets - Residents of Hikarigaoka express deep concern due to lack of progress regarding the incident**_

_Tokyo, Japan - Takenouchi Toshiko, 30, a resident of the Ran building of Hikarigaoka, has expressed deep concerns regarding the October bombing.  
_"_It's been nearly two months and nothing more has been done about [the bombing]," she declared Monday morning. "It's not that I blame the authorities. But my life here has changed drastically since then, and if this goes on, I don't think my family and I can stay in Hikarigaoka any longer."  
__Takenouchi, who owns and operates the Ten-Chi School of Ikebana, suffered a heavy loss as her school was temporarily shut down due to damage from the bombing. In addition to repair expenses, she reported that because of the incident, many of her students have left the area for fear of a second attack.  
_"_Even if I get back on my feet soon, I won't have any students or source of income," she added despairingly.  
__As Takenouchi suggests, many others hold similar sentiments. Nearly 5% of Hikarigaoka residents have already relocated, and at least another 5% are considering or preparing to leave the area.  
_"_Things will be fixed, someday," a resident who wished to remain anonymous stated. "But if they don't catch a criminal, that means whoever did this is still out there, and I don't want to stick around for round two."  
__As more and more apartment units are abandoned, many even consider leaving their jobs in Hikarigaoka to avoid the area altogether. Although this opens up space for new residents, the number of potential renters and job applicants has decreased dramatically in the past six weeks, most likely for the same reasons.  
__Professor Takenouchi Haruhiko, 31, husband of Takenouchi Toshiko, of Musashi Daigaku, echoes those seeking employment elsewhere.  
_"_I have a great career at an excellent university. But, I also have a young daughter, and if I have to leave my job to keep her safe, I will."_

* * *

**Children Psychologically Traumatized? - Hikarigaoka parents blame bombing for hallucinations_**

"Natsuko?" a voice called from the hallway. The blonde-haired woman looked up from her computer after typing the headline for her next article and rubbed her eyes. She turned to face her husband.  
"You're still up?" she asked.  
"Well I was asleep when I realized you weren't in bed yet," Hiroaki replied. "Come on and get some sleep, it's already one o' clock."  
"Sure, just let me finish this article," she said as she returned to her work. "Harada wants this at ten so we can review it and have it edited in time for the evening paper."  
"Well couldn't you come to bed now and wake up early to finish it?" He began walking over to the desk where Natsuko was furiously typing away. "What's this one about anyway? … 'Traumatized?' … 'Hallucinations?' Natsuko, what is this?"  
"I interviewed some more witnesses to see if I could get anymore leads for the investigators," the rising reporter informed him without missing a beat. "What they said really intrigued me, so I really want to get this article done now while it's still fresh in my mind."  
"From the sound of it, it seems like a pair of parents looking to sue someone," Hiroaki chuckled as he helped himself to his wife's secret stash of rice candy.  
"Laugh all you like," Natsuko replied as she skillfully swiped the candy out of her husband's hand and popped it in her mouth. "It's really strange though… Just listen…  
"You know how Takeru was going on about seeing a dinosaur fighting a giant bird right after the bombing? I dismissed it as something he just saw on TV or something, but about a month ago, I overheard some children talking about the very same thing. I thought they might have been the boys' friends, but I didn't recognize any of them. After a while, I realized that only children who lived in the Ran and Yuri buildings were the ones talking about it."  
"So? Maybe you just overheard them when they were near home."  
"Here's the interesting part: it was only children who lived on the sides facing Hanabi Avenue."  
"What?"  
"I know! Oh, and it gets better!"  
"Natsuko, you're scaring me…"  
"Oh come on! This is the strangest part! Remember how the police found those two kids where the overpass bridge was destroyed?"  
"Okay…?"  
"So apparently they're a brother and sister from the Kiku building."  
"Wait a minute… Don't tell me… Do they-?"  
"Yes," she replied as she turned to the now-stunned Hiroaki. "They live in unit 1440, the only apartment that was damaged in Kiku."  
A deafening silence rang through the dark stillness as the two adults stared at each other, both trying to grasp the meaning of these seemingly connected incidences. The only sounds that could be heard were the nighttime noises of the streets, like car horns and stray animals yapping at the sky.


	2. How They Met

A/N: (sorry, this probably should've been in the prologue) If you are reading this, that means you have at least glanced at the prologue and thought that this humble fanfic is worth reading another chapter of... so thank you VERY MUCH! :) This is my first official fanfic, so hopefully it's an acceptable work ^_^ I got the idea when I thought that the Digimon Adventure characters (season 1) were never really depicted in their normal, everyday lives, at least not the way the characters were in Digimon Adventure 02 (season 2). In short, this is my interpretation of their lives in the time leading up to *that time* (based as much as possible on the original Japanese dub) ... Please rate and review! Even just a little "yay" or "cool beans" will do, just evidence that I'm not posting these chapters for nobody. Also, I'm wondering which format looks better: the format I used in the prologue (no spaces between paragraphs) or the one in this chapter (spaces between paragraphs). I get the feeling that the former choice looks too squished, but I would like a second (or third) opinion, please. Thank you and please enjoy this picture album in words! :)

_

* * *

_

_Chapter One: How They Met_

"…_and since it's just the two of us now, I figured it'd be better if we lived closer to my work. That way, I can be nearby when you get home from school. What do you think?"_

_That's what he said. On the surface it was a question, but in the last couple years, I learned that questions meant for kids didn't need an answer. They were just statements tacked onto the end of adults' explanations so kids would think they were important, think that in the grand scheme of life, they still mattered to their parents. Maybe I was just being cynical at the time and Dad really did want to know what I thought about moving for the third time in two-and-a-half years, but all I did was nod, didn't even look at him. After my "approval," he exclaimed that was good and continued on about everything that was waiting for us in Odaiba, the opportunities, the attractions, and of course, we'd ride the Ferris wheel on the weekends. I heard him, but I wasn't listening. In my then-ten-year-old mind, I was already riding a Ferris wheel, an endless cycle where I had no control over my course; if I wanted to go up, the track would turn downward, and if I had any desire to get off that cursed ride, I would surely fall to my doom._

_As I got ready for school the next day, I looked around my room, the third one in the last three years, the first one I had all to myself, the emptiest in my entire life. "My Dark Cave," as I called it in my deepest moments of despair. Even though I hated the mocking silence created by the absence of my little brother, I mourned the inevitable loss of it. I always wanted to return to Tokyo, to live there again. But not now. Not like this._

_Four months to Odaiba, and maybe spring…_

* * *

"Four months to summer break," Yagami Taichi lamented as he made his way to his assigned desk.

"The first day of fifth grade hasn't even begun, and you're already complaining?" Takenouchi Sora pointedly directed at her childhood friend as she trailed behind him. "If you're tired of school already, how are you ever going to survive university?"

"I'm not going to university, remember? I'm going to become the greatest soccer star in the world and bring the World Cup home to Japan!"

"Yeah, of course you will," she said as she took her seat, exasperated at her failed attempt to convert him yet again, but admiring of Taichi for his unwillingness to bend to the conventions of society. She had always been the responsible one between the two, but at the same time, she wished she possessed that sense of freedom Taichi had and believed in so strongly.

_It's little things like this that make me wish I was born a boy_, Sora thought to herself. _Then I wouldn't have to practice stupid ikebana and could keep playing soccer._

"Anyway, got any plans for summer break?" Taichi interrupted Sora's train of thought.

Sora sighed. "Don't tell me you already have plans. Seriously Taichi, four months - just four more months! I can't believe you're so desperate that you're planning this far ahead! And besides, Golden Week's only one month away. Why so set on summer break?"

"Oh, I dunno," he replied as he leaned back in his chair and adjusted his goggles a bit. "I just get the feeling that this summer is the summer I have the greatest adventure of my life! Don't you?"

As he looked over at his best friend, Sora started giggling. "Your goggles are crooked" was all that could be said before Fujiyama-sensei introduced himself as class 5-A's teacher. Taichi, still leaning back in his chair, sized up his teacher for the next year and was about to make a snide comment to Sora when a boy standing at the front of the room caught his eye. His hair was strikingly blonde, but even more striking were his blue eyes. It wasn't because they were vibrantly blue or even bright, but rather because Taichi always thought blue eyes were a piercing, foreign trait to be feared. Those blue eyes were anything but piercing; if anything, they were flat, shallow, glazed over like a lake on a windless day. And at that moment, he felt that shallow blue eyes were more fearsome than piercing ones.

As Taichi tried to pry his fixed gaze away from the mysterious boy, the legs of his chair suddenly tipped off balance and slid away from beneath him. In a blur of color and confusion, he suddenly found himself on his back, feet up, and the center of ridicule on his first day - his first minutes - of fifth grade at Odaiba Elementary.

* * *

"So Ishida-kun, you're from Nagano, right?"

"Hmm," Yamato affirmed as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Oh, I see," Sora commented, not knowing what else to say. Fujiyama-sensei had assigned Yamato the seat to Sora's left, and all morning, whenever she could, she had tried to get him to open up. She knew how hard it was to transfer schools. Granted, it had been four years ago, and Taichi had somehow transferred to the same school, but she still remembered the anxiety of starting over, of having to make new friends so suddenly. She wanted Yamato to feel as welcome as possible.

If not for one detail: he just didn't want to open up. When she quietly welcomed him before lessons began, all he said was an even quieter "oh." She had hoped a cheeky comment about their teacher would do the trick, but he had said nothing, not even a curt nod. Now, it was lunchtime, and despite her plans with Taichi to eat lunch outside, she was so determined to include Yamato that when he refused her invitation to join them, she invited herself and Taichi to eat lunch at Yamato's desk.

And that's how Yamato, on his first day at Odaiba Elementary, ended up eating lunch with "pushy" Sora and "screw-up" Taichi, as he put it in his mind.

"Oi!" Taichi interrupted the awkward silence. "You don't say much, do you, Ishida?"

"Taichi! Don't be so rude!" Sora scolded.

"Oh? My bad," he said with a tone of annoyance. "I thought Ishida was being the rude one."

"Taichi!"

"I mean really," he continued as if ignoring her, "what's your problem anyway? Sora's been nothing but friendly to you all morning, and all you say is 'hmm' or 'oh.' I'm a pretty nice guy, but you're starting to get on my nerves, Ishida!"

"Taichi, that's enough!" Sora interjected as she stood from her chair. Taichi backed down a little and diverted his gaze elsewhere. He knew from past experience that when Sora flew into "angry mommy mode," it was best to just keep quiet.

Sora sighed deeply. Another confrontation had just been avoided, but now the atmosphere seemed even more awkward. Pressing her palms together, she bowed slightly at Yamato.

"I'm so sorry, Taichi can be… hotheaded at times," she apologized on her friend's behalf.

"Hmm."

Taichi glared once more at Yamato before announcing his retreat to the restroom on account of "something bad I must've eaten." As he walked through the door, Sora glared after him, while Yamato's blank stare stayed firmly on his desk.

* * *

The clock read 9:34 p.m. when Yamato heard the door slam shut. Within a few moments, his bedroom door cracked open, and in popped his father's head.

"You're still up, Yamato?" his father inquired.

"I was waiting for you," he replied, not looking up from the book he had been reading but was now staring blankly at the pages. "You're getting home later and later, Dad."

"Ah, sorry," Hiroaki apologized as he walked over and sat on the edge of his son's desk. "Work's getting brutal now that I'm settling in. Speaking of, how's your new school? Surely something interesting has happened in one week."

"Not really."

"Well then," his father continued, trying to keep up the conversation, "made any friends at school? Anyone you've met?"

"I wouldn't call them friends…"

"Oh, so you have met some kids! Who are they? Tell me about them!"

"Well," Yamato began as he set the book down, "there's Takenouchi-san. She's really nice and friendly, but a little pushy too. Then there's Yagami-kun. I don't think I like him."

Hiroaki laughed.

"Making enemies already?"

"No," Yamato denied, "he's just… I don't know, he doesn't seem to like me, and frankly, I don't like his attitude either. He seems so cocky and full of himself, and when he doesn't like something, he's really forward about it. I just get the feeling I won't get along with him at all."

"Sounds like the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Huh?" Yamato started as he finally turned to face his father. "I appreciate the joke, Dad, but seriously, I don't think-"

"Seriously, Yamato," Hiroaki interrupted, "I think the two of you will become good friends."

Now the boy was even more confused. "Dad, I don't think I follow you."

"Let's just put it this way," the older man began explaining, "I think you and Yagami-kun could teach each other a thing or two about people."

Before Yamato could ask any further, however, his father had already moved on to another subject.

"By the way, I've been thinking lately," he began, "you're 10-years-old now, and I think it's time I passed something on to my firstborn. Wait right here, I'll be back in a bit."

_Not that I have anywhere else to go_, Yamato thought to himself as he watched his father exit the room. Now that he had a few moments to himself, he tried to discern what his father meant. _Friends? Teach each other about people? I guess Yagami-kun is pretty close to how my friends back in Nagano were, but at least they were polite. How could someone so hotheaded and rude be my future best friend?_

At that moment, Hiroaki reentered, his hands behind his back.

"Right or left?" his father asked eagerly. Yamato sighed and rolled his eyes at the childish game he had grown tired of. He pointed to his left.

"You're getting better at this," the older man complimented as he brought his right hand forward. A small glint of light came from his hand and shone briefly on Yamato's face. When the boy realized what it was, his mouth hung open.

"I was never really good at it," his father confessed, "but you have a talent for it, and so, I want you to have this."

"D-Dad," Yamato stuttered, "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Just play, play with all your heart."

"Thanks. Thank you so much, Dad," he replied with heartfelt gratitude as his fingers closed over his father's harmonica.


	3. The Daughter of Heaven and Earth

A/N: Thank you very much for continuing to read my first fanfic! ^_^ (special thanks to Bookworm Gal for her review. My first!) This one's quite a bit longer than the first chapter, but I think it's a lot more interesting, too. Just in case you're wondering, the title is a reference to the second article in the prologue. Happy reading! :)

* * *

**_Chapter Two: The Daughter of Heaven and Earth_**

_"We think she may have torn her ACL, but we can't be sure until the MRI results come back."_

_"When will that be, doctor?"_

_"I expect them to be done no later than tomorrow morning."_

_"And until then?"_

_"Until then, all we can do is wait and make her as comfortable as possible."_

_Comfortable? This was as comfortable as I was going to get! The nurses had already strung my leg up tightly, and the amount of ice on my knee could've made another Arctic Circle right there. But no amount of comfort could make me feel any better about myself, or what had occurred merely hours before._

_It had happened so fast, I can only recall snippets of the whole thing. What exactly did I do anyway? In the swirling chatter that I supposed was my mother and my attending physician discussing my current state, I deciphered that something had happened at the girls' soccer game that morning. That's something I do remember. The sun amidst the blue sky smiling down on us, the cool breeze flowing into my face, the adrenaline rush throughout my body, my heart pounding in my chest…_

_There it was. The goal was less than five meters away. The ball and I were closing in quickly, too quickly for the opposing team to catch either of us. A quick glance at the scoreboard revealed that the scores were tied. It was in my sight. I saw it before me. I was going to score the winning goal for my team._

_We would win._

_I carefully and calculatingly aimed my kick, like only an ace striker could, and with all my might, struck that blur of black and white, but it looked more like gray after what I did to that thing. I faintly remember smiling._

_That was the last thing I could recall distinctly._

_The next thing I knew, I felt a strong force hit me from the left. My left leg gave out from beneath me, and I felt a sickening crunch as I was pummeled from every direction except up. No, scratch that. Something fell on top of me after that. At least, I think something did. Like I said, it's all a blur, even now._

_I can't even remember riding the ambulance to the hospital. The pain was so great, all I could think - or do - was to try and get it to go away, but no matter what I did, the searing agony in my lower body remained. I was drifting in and out of consciousness after they gave me a painkiller, but it was no good. Whenever I became aware of my surroundings again, I could still feel something bothering me immensely. For that entire night - even as my mother stayed by my bedside, routinely calling my father on another of his research trips to give him updates on my condition - I felt like I was floating in a matter-less abyss, sensing only pain, loneliness, and anxiety._

_Only once did I feel peace overcome me; maybe that was the point when I finally fell asleep from exhaustion. I saw that I was standing on the soccer field again, a green blanket painted with white, a witness to numerous instances of glory, honor, triumph, and tears, shame, failure as well. But only for a moment was I standing. The next thing that happened swept me off my feet. Literally. I felt my weightless body rising slowly into the atmosphere. My first thoughts were that I had died, and my soul was now rising into heaven. Before I could further entertain this thought, however, I found myself being passed by a flock a birds, and almost by instinct, I followed them. We flew on and kept on flying, flying like a spirit freed from its earthly bounds. I was right. I was in heaven._

_I was free._

* * *

"Oi Sora! Can you stay after for soccer club today?"

Takenouchi Sora carefully placed her recorder in her school satchel as she turned to face her soccer-crazed best friend, Yagami Taichi.

"Taichi, you know I'm not part of the soccer club anymore," she replied calmly with a forced smile. Still, even nearly a year later, those words stung her heart like a thousand sharpened needles being driven ever so slowly. "Anyway, I have to practice for the music test tomorrow, as should you, Taichou."

Taichi laughed proudly at the nickname he had earned from the new club members following his performance at the year's first meeting a few weeks ago.

"Heh, soccer captains don't need to learn music!" he scoffed. "Music to my ears is the sound of a roaring crowd cheering me on. But," he continued as he looked at Sora straight in the eye, "my performance isn't complete without my best striker by my side. C'mon! We really need you out there!"

"Taichi," Sora began reasoning with him, "I… I just can't, not today." The simple fact that she was no longer a member of the soccer club wasn't the only thing holding her back, though. Ever since her accident last summer, she had been forbidden from playing soccer ever again. Oh, she didn't mind playing behind her mother's back here and there, but Sora knew all too well; if she returned home late on a day she didn't have tennis club, her mother would question what she had been up to that she couldn't reach home promptly. She most certainly didn't want to lie about it; of course, she wasn't very good at lying in the first place. Still, the offer to play soccer was so very tempting.

"Please?" Taichi began begging, something he did only when he really, truly wanted something. "Please Sora? You haven't played with us for a long time. The game's not the same without you."

She began opening her mouth to reply but stopped herself before anything could be said. What was she thinking? Of course she couldn't say yes!

"Taichi-"

"Please! Sora, I'm begging you!"

"Well…"

_Please lower your voice or the flowers will wilt…_ Her mother's words nagged her from a distance.

"I'd love to, but…"

"Then you'll come play!"

_I like soccer more than flowers!_ Her exact words at that time…

"It sounds nice, but don't you already have enough members? I wouldn't want to boot anyone out."

"Eh, it's okay. Motomiya's not here today anyway."

"Motomiya? You mean that second-rate, B-grade striker from class 2-B?" Both friends grinned widely at the epithet they had given to the clumsiest "ace striker" of the new members.

"Yup! I could really use a replacement for my disciple right about now. Actually, I'll take a replacement for him any day!" he laughed.

_How can you call yourself my daughter?_

"You're on, Taichou!"

* * *

"Sora-senpai! Here!"

Sora ran with all her might as one of the younger members passed the ball across the field. Even with the spring wind splashing against her face and the blinding sunlight piercing her eyes, she could see it clearly. Someone from the other team was closing in quickly from behind her. If she couldn't intercept it before he reached her, most likely she would lose the ball, and all her team's efforts to transport the black-and-white checkered mass to their side of the field would be for naught.

She planted her right foot straight into the ground, pivoted, and took off running toward the ball. The opposing boy quickly read her movements, however, and swiftly re-angled his run alongside her. Sora gritted her teeth together. Even if she was the only girl in school who could keep up with the best of the boys in this sport, it was her everyday tennis shoes against his cleats. It was too close to tell.

"Oi! Sora!"

Taichi's voice!

With one quick glance, she saw her fellow striker coming up on the other side of the field. Almost telepathically, she understood what he was thinking. Back in the day, it was called the Yagami-Takenouchi Super Smash Combo. They could pull it off again.

With the ball now a meter away and quickly closing the gap between them, Sora, now accelerating at amazing speeds, shifted her center of gravity downward. As her body hit the prickly grass, she kicked the ball from a lower angle, sending the ball upwards and headed straight for Taichi. As the opposing boy stopped short of tripping over her, she saw as Taichi - with one powerful sweep - sent the airborne ball bounding toward the goal. She smiled.

_This is where I bel-_

Before she could finish her train of thought, something unexpected happened. The ball - raging onward uncontrollably with the spin Taichi's kick had added - never reached the dirtied net. Instead, as it bounced sharply to the side just before the boundary of the goal, the goalkeeper leapt for it and successfully intercepted it, rolling like a ball himself as he tried to slow down. Sora was absolutely amazed. No one - not anyone - had ever stopped her and Taichi's combo before, much less a newbie. In the distance, she heard the club advisor blow the whistle.

"Nice job, everyone!" their teacher exclaimed. "Especially you, Ishida. What a save!"

Ishida Yamato, still holding the soccer ball under one arm, stood up and brushed some of the dirt off his body. He blushed a little at the compliment.

"Alright kids," their advisor continued, "I think it's about time for a break, so-"

"Kamamoto-sensei!" a girl wearing all pink yelled, running over to the soccer field. "Kamamoto-sensei, come quick!"

"What is it?"

"At the animal cages, something awful is happening! Hurry!"

"Ah, alright! Alright!" As the pink-clad girl began running again, Kamamoto-sensei turned to the soccer club. "Just take a water break and we'll start again whenever I get back."

"Kamamoto-sensei!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" he yelled back as he took off after the girl.

Sora jogged over to Taichi, who was standing in the same spot he received her pass.

"Isn't that girl from class 4-C?" she asked.

"Who cares," Taichi replied a little more curtly than usual after being blocked. Sora was startled.

"Are you all right, Taichi?"

"Of course I'm all right!" he bellowed back, probably much louder than he intended. Sora was about to scold him for yelling unnecessarily again, but she caught his gaze, locked on something beyond her. Only a split second later, she knew, and she sighed.

"Taichi…"

A chattering group of boys was walking in their direction. As they came closer, Sora could hear what they were saying.

"I mean wow! I never thought it was possible!"

"Of course it's possible! At least with Yamato-kun here!"

"I'm so glad you joined our club, Yamato-senpai! You're the best thing that's happened to us!"

"Oh… um, thanks," Yamato replied.

"Well, at least he's saying words now," Sora joked as she tried to brighten up the doom and gloom hanging about the air. Taichi, however, wasn't amused.

"Yeah, well, so what if he blocked my ultimate attack!" he scoffed loudly. Sora felt this one was intended to be heard by more than just her, however. The footsteps behind her stopped.

"Hey Taichou," one of the younger members called, "don't you think Yamato-senpai is amazing?"

"He's not all that great," Taichi muttered under his breath.

"Oh come on, Taichi-kun!" a sixth-year chimed in. "Admit it, I don't even think you could've blocked that yourself!"

"Oh come off it!" Taichi exploded as he stomped over to the sixth-year. "He's only been here a month, and suddenly you're all bowing down to him?" He pointed a finger angrily at his senior. "Just because you can't intercept a ball worth crap, you suddenly hail this newbie like he's a king or something! And it's really, really, really making me sick!"

"Oi!" Yamato cried out from the center of the crowd. Everyone jumped a bit; no one had ever heard him raise his voice like this before. "Fine by me if you can't stand me," he continued, "but don't you dare bring anyone else down because of your immaturity!"

"Oh, so the golden-haired mute does talk!" Taichi shot back.

"And it looks like spiky-headed screw-up Taichou has an ego as big as his hair!" Yamato's normally glazed-over eyes now displayed a fiery spirit, enflamed with anger.

"I am not a screw-up!"

"And I am not a mute!"

By now, the two boys were right in front of each, teeth bared like feral dogs ready to attack. The rest of the club stood frozen in a circle around them. A fight was about to break out, and without Kamamoto-sensei there, they had no idea what to do.

"Both of you stop it right now!" Sora yelled at them. After a few seconds, Taichi and Yamato backed down, neither looking at the other. An uncomfortable stillness hung in the air like a bad stench. After what seemed like hours, Yamato dropped the ball in front of Taichi.

"If you didn't want me in your club, then you shouldn't have invited me to join," Yamato stated with quiet rage. Without ever glancing up, he walked out of the circle and headed toward the school building. Everyone saw him run into Kamamoto-sensei on his way back from the animal cages - except Taichi, whose gaze was still angrily fixed on the lawn - and judging solely from Kamamoto-sensei's expression, they could tell. Yamato wasn't coming to club anymore.

* * *

The sun was already drifting closely to the horizon, dyeing the Western sky a bright orange. On the opposite side, the Eastern sky was being covered in a velvety haze, and the waxing gibbous moon shone dimly in the presence of its daytime counterpart. All this natural beauty only made Sora's heart beat faster though, as she raced through the streets of Odaiba.

_I can't believe I forgot my bag!_ she bemoaned silently. _Stupid Taichi!_

Following that afternoon's fiasco, Sora had once again lectured her best friend about being nicer to the new kid, even if he had already been there a month. Of course, nothing could persuade the stubborn boy to think otherwise, even after she reminded him about his promise to befriend Yamato by inviting him to join soccer club. In summary, the two of them got into their own argument, ending with Sora telling Taichi that his stupid goggles were cutting off the circulation to his brain before stomping off in anger herself. Not wanting to face her mother in such a mood, Sora had wandered around Odaiba, unaware of where she was or how long she had been gone. It was only when she ended up in front of her apartment complex that she realized she had left her satchel in the classroom.

_Please, please, please! Please! Let someone still be there!_

The orange-haired girl grinned widely when she saw that the front gate was still open, and with it, the front door. She raced through the maze of hallways and staircases and soon found herself outside classroom 5-A, whose door slid open easily. She breathed a huge sigh of relief. In the middle of the room, now dyed the same deep orange as the setting sun, sat her satchel, right where she left it.

"Thank goodness!" she exclaimed as she scooped up her precious possession. Now her only worry was explaining to her mother why she was arriving home so late, but she had the walk home to decide on the perfect excuse. All she wanted to do at that moment was catch her breath.

In the stillness of after-school hours, Sora's ears perked up. Was that music? She was sure no one else was at the school; who else would be there this late? Then again, the front was open. Why wouldn't someone be there? But, why would someone be there?

Curiosity getting the better of her, Sora decided to investigate. Exiting the classroom, she closed her eyes to try and pinpoint the exact direction from which the sweet melody was coming. The timbre of the instrument was much clearer now; it was similar to something she had heard on a Western movie. Her music teacher called it… what was it called again? The name escaped her, but the tune was so sweet and sincere, calling out to someone, maybe her…

It stopped. Sora's eyes opened. No, she had to find out who the mystery musician was! Turning left, her legs carried her down the empty hall, her heart desperate to discover this music maker. Soon enough, she found a doorway wide open. Maybe, just maybe… yes, in here! It had to be here! Slowing down rapidly, she rounded the corner and made a mad dash into the open room.

Sora skidded to a halt. The classroom, also washed with orange, was empty, save for a small boy seated in the back. He was staring intently at a laptop propped up on his desk. At least, he had been, until the skidding noise of Sora's sneakers obviously interrupted his train of thought. He looked up abruptly, and his dark eyes met Sora's red ones.

"Oh, um," Sora stuttered, trying to avoid an awkward moment, "excuse me. I didn't know people were still here."

"Oh," the boy replied, quickly diverting his gaze. "No one else is here?"

"Well, club activities are done for the day."

"Really? It's that time already?" He frantically scanned for the classroom clock. Sora could see the sheer surprise in his eyes.

"Oh no," the boy muttered as he swiftly packed up his laptop, "I need to get home!" Within seconds, he was already making his way to the back door.

"Wait!" Sora yelled. The boy stopped in his tracks. He turned his head slightly, so that Sora could see his face but not meet his eyes.

"Yes?"

"Um, well… Did you hear music playing not too long ago?"

The boy's head turned even more. Their eyes met again, and once again, Sora felt like the fool, like she was saying something weird. Had she only imagined the music?

"You mean that harmonica?" the boy inquired. A light bulb turned on in Sora's mind.

"Yes! That's it!" she exclaimed, relieved that she hadn't just imagined it and wasn't going crazy.

"Yeah, I heard it," he answered nonchalantly, "but I don't know who it is, or where it's coming from, if that's what you wanted to know."

"Oh, I see," Sora said, a little disappointed. She then turned toward the front door, preparing to leave herself.

"Wait!" Sora turned around abruptly.

"Yes?"

Silence followed. The smaller boy looked as if he wanted to say something.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," he quickly said, "but…"

Sora began feeling antsy.

"If you're going to say something, please do it quickly." The clock indicated it was over three hours later than when Sora's mother expected her home.

"You're in class 5-A, right?"

"I am."

"And you're in the soccer club, right?"

"Well, I used to be. My best friend's team captain, though."

"Oh, I see."

Another awkward silence followed, while the clock kept ticking away. The setting sun was now red, a sight that made Sora sweat nervously.

"Well, if that's all, I'll see you around," she called to the boy, and with that, she dashed off toward the stairs.

As she made her way through the streets, Sora found herself thinking about the mysterious music she had heard. It couldn't have been her imagination; that other boy had heard it, too. And yet, the experience itself had felt like a dream - a very good dream, like the one she had when she had been hospitalized last summer. The very sound of it had lifted her soul, letting her look down on her earthly bounds and touch heaven once again. It had briefly granted her the freedom she desired, and she wanted more of it.

_Set me free_, she prayed.

* * *

A/N: When Taichi is asking Sora to play soccer, she's thinking back to the conversation she had with her mother in Episode 26 of Digimon Adventure ("Sora's Crest of Love"/"Shining Wings! Garudamon!"), just in case you didn't catch that reference ^_^' I used the dialogue from the original Japanese episode.


	4. The Way of Taichi

A/N: Thank you for your continued support! (thanks to PinkCherry12 for the VERY encouraging review! I just might take you up on that suggestion ^_^ ) I originally entitled this chapter "Taichi-do," but in the end, I decided to translate it into English. As always, if you have the time, please leave a review, thanks!

**_

* * *

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**_Chapter Three: The Way of Taichi_**

_It was the epitome of summer days. The hot rays of the sun were bearing down on everyone like a wool blanket, but voluminous white clouds carried by a light wind against the vast sky gave occasional relief from the dreaded heat. All this, though, only served as a background to our family outing - just my father, my mother, and me, shopping in Akihabara for one whole day. I remember I was wearing a new baseball cap my mother bought me. Generally, I hate hats. They couldn't tame my unruly red hair any more than ultra-hair gel could, and they managed to make my head look even bigger on my small frame. But I wore that yellow thing anyway, because my mother thought I looked handsome in it. I didn't argue with her; or rather, I couldn't argue with her. I appreciated her too much to talk back._

_So there we were, a family of three, wandering the busy streets lined with stores selling every sort of electronic device a techno-geek like me could ever want. I was a little embarrassed that my parents wanted me to hold their hands whenever we crossed the street - personally, I thought third-graders were old enough to walk through the city without holding someone else's hand - but I was still enjoying myself thoroughly. There were so many things I wanted to look at or try out, I had to constantly remind myself that this trip wasn't for me. My father was looking to buy a laptop for his office work and decided to use the trip for some family bonding. That's how he was, always thinking of his family, no matter what. He was the kind of man I wanted to be when I grew up._

_Before long, we stopped at a laptop-specific store, and I was completely entranced. They had all the latest models in mint-condition, and I could try them all! Never in my life had I been so excited before! My parents had to race to keep up with me as I stopped at each model and rambled off the pros and cons of each, but one particular model grabbed my attention immediately._

"_Look Father! This is the latest model in the G3 series! I heard you can get it customized personally!" My heart was racing like never before as I eyed that piece of human innovation. Maybe I let on too strongly that I secretly coveted that PDQ, something I had hoped to conceal on this trip. I couldn't be selfish when all my father wanted was a way to make work a little easier. What kind of son would that make me?_

_We ended up buying that model, and Father said I would make a good salesman since my expertise on the laptop helped him in his final decision. Frankly, I was proud of his words and so happy that I contributed to our little family trip. I knew that that day would live forever in my memory._

_I remember the following day just as clearly. I woke up early to see my father off to work, only to find both my parents seated at the kitchen table with an elaborate breakfast menu and a wrapped package. I was caught off guard, needless to say, and it took me a while to understand that my parents had prepared that package - as well as the breakfast - especially for me. The next thing I can recall, I'm removing the very laptop we had purchased the day before from the opened package! Words started floating around the kitchen, like "call it a belated birthday present," "we hope you like it." I could only mutter one thing as I embraced the both of them._

"_Thank you, Mother, Father! I love it, I really do!"_

_Ironically, that was the day I started drifting away from them._

* * *

"Fujiyama-sensei!"

"Yes, Hongo-kun!"

A dark-haired boy in the back of the classroom pointed at the clock on the front wall. "It's already 11:30."

"Oh, really?" their teacher asked startled as he checked the time himself. "Well then everyone, enjoy your lunches!"

As the students dispersed - some heading toward the cafeteria, others shuffling for their bento boxes - Takenouchi Sora turned to her right to face an obviously less-than-ecstatic Yagami Taichi, face planted into his desk.

"Taichi, you've been sulking all morning," she said. "What's wrong?"

A muffled sound was all she could hear.

"What did you say?"

More muffled noises.

"Taichi, I can't understand you. Could you at least get your face up?"

Taichi's blank stare emerged as he sat up quickly. His nose was red from being pressed into the hard surface.

"I said, I wish it was summer already." Almost immediately, he slammed his face back into the desk. A muffled groan escaped his mouth.

Sora sighed.

"I take it you didn't have an enjoyable Golden Week?"

The boy's bushy hair flipped side-to-side as he shook his head no.

"Well, I'll meet you back here," she stated as she stood to go to the cafeteria. As she turned toward the door, Sora noticed a small boy standing in the doorway. She instantly recognized the frizzy red hair from that time.

"Oh, it's you," she stated. "I mean… Hello again."

"Oh, it's nice to see you again," the boy replied with a short bow. He then made his way to Sora and Taichi, who remained still.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. My name is Izumi Koushiro. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, that's okay," Sora replied. "I'm Takenouchi Sora, and this here is Yagami Taichi." She gave her best friend a little jab on the shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Izumi-kun."

"Oh, so this is Yagami-san," Koushiro said as he turned to the sulking captain. "Um, Yagami-san, I-I was wondering… well… you see, would it be alright if I joined the soccer club?"

Taichi stood up so abruptly that he almost knocked his desk and chair over, startling Koushiro so badly that he took a step back. Sora thought he looked even smaller next to the reinvigorated Taichi.

"Sure thing!" Taichi exclaimed with a grin as he wrapped his arm around Koushiro's neck. "Toushiro, was it?"

"Um, Koushiro…" he squeaked meekly.

"Eh, whatever. But yeah, we can always use another member! Here, I'll introduce you to Kamamoto-sensei right now!"

As Taichi dashed through the door with Koushiro still in a headlock, Sora caught someone staring at her from behind. She turned her head and saw in her peripheral vision Ishida Yamato quickly divert his gaze as he started fussing with his homemade lunch.

_Yamato._

She closed her eyes. Breathing in deeply, she turned to her classmate.

"Hey Yamato-kun, want to eat together?"

His blue eyes, glazed over once again, met her red ones.

"Oh, well, thank you Takenouchi-san," he replied, "but I wouldn't want to impose on you and Yagami."

She smiled. "No, you wouldn't be. Besides, Taichi's so preoccupied with his new disciple, he'll probably forget to eat again."

"Well," Yamato said slowly, "I suppose if it's all right."

"Great!" she exclaimed. "Oh, by the way, you can call me Sora."

Yamato stood up, and for a moment, Sora thought she saw a smile flicker across his face.

"Thank you very much, then, Sora."

* * *

Taichi dropped the soccer ball onto the freshly cut grass and looked his new disciple in the eye.

"Alright Koushiro," he said, "since you don't know a thing about soccer, Kamamoto-sensei asked me to teach you the basics. So listen up, okay?"

"Y-yes, Yagami-san," the shorter Koushiro replied as he perked up. "I will do my best to follow your teaching."

Taichi raised an eyebrow.

"Um, you don't have to be so formal. And could you drop the honorifics? Just call me Taichi, alright?"

There was a hint of discomfort as Koushiro responded, "Okay… Taichi… san."

Taichi sighed.

"Ah, whatever. Anyway, here are the basics.

"There are eleven players on each team, and teams try to get this ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with the most goals by the end of the game wins. Simple enough?"

"Yes, Taichi-san!"

"Okay good! Next lesson! Each team has one goalkeeper - that's the guy who stands in front of the goal - who tries to keep the ball from getting inside the net. The ten other guys stay on the field and work together to score. Understand?"

"I understand, Taichi-san!"

"Great! Alright, so now, I'm going to teach you how to kick. I'll be the goalkeeper, and you try to score, got it?"

"Yes, Taichi-san!"

Taichi crossed the field to the goal like a prancing gazelle and swiftly turned to face his disciple. Hunching over with his feet spread apart, he readied his hands to intercept the ball.

"Okay Koushiro, give me everything you got!"

"Yes! I'll do my best, Taichi-san!"

_This kid uses my name like samurai use "de gozaru!"_ Taichi thought to himself with slight annoyance. _Oh well, maybe he'll drop it after a few days_.

Taichi saw Koushiro raise his hand high.

"What are you doing?" the captain called to the middle of the field.

"Excuse me for shouting, but I have a question, Taichi-san!" Koushiro replied.

Taichi felt like ripping his hair out.

"It's just the two of us, so you don't need to raise your hand! And we're outside! You're supposed to shout!"

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

"Just forget it! What do you need?"

"Well, I was just wondering… What position am I?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I read in a book that there are defenders, midfielders, and forwards, so I was just wondering what approach I should take!"

"Uhh… Well, you're supposed to score, so I guess you're a forward!"

"Ah, I see!" Kicking the ball as delicately as he could, Koushiro carefully positioned himself so that he was within the last third of the field. Taichi closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply to calm himself down.

_Just relax, Taichi, as soon as you're done teaching him, it'll all go away_.

"Excuse me, Taichi-san!"

Taichi strained to open his eyelids as he looked at Koushiro.

"I-I was just wondering… Um…"

"Just say it!" Taichi commanded, a little louder than he intended.

"Which forward am I?"

"Center!"

"Okay!" With this confirmation, Koushiro took another moment to line himself up perfectly in the center, as Taichi covered his eyes with his hand in frustration, muttering inaudible things to no one in particular.

"Taichi-san?"

"WHAT!"

A long silence followed. Taichi removed his hand to see a thoroughly frightened Koushiro, face frozen in terror. The pressure that had been building up inside the taller boy suddenly dispersed.

"Oh, uh, sorry! I didn't mean to shout. What is it?"

"Well, I was going to ask if you were all right," Koushiro replied more timidly than Taichi had ever heard before.

"Uh, yeah, just getting a little hot, that's all," he tried to explain. With that, he returned to the "ready" position. "Okay, show me what you got, Koushiro!"

Koushiro nodded back and, looking down at the ball, calculatingly aimed his strike. Taichi in turn mentally prepared himself for the impact that was to come. He eyed the shorter boy intently, waiting for the moment at which his foot would make contact with the ball. Koushiro's leg rose behind him, and after a short few seconds, it arched swiftly downward toward its target.

"Whoa!" Koushiro yelled as his foot missed the ball, falling backward from the momentum of his kick. Taichi couldn't help but laugh - which he tried to hold in - as he saw Koushiro's small body disappear behind the soccer ball. He tried to regain his composure as he jogged over to his fallen comrade.

"You okay there?" Taichi asked as he helped up a disoriented and clearly embarrassed Koushiro.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, I'm fine," came the reply. Koushiro began brushing the dirt off his clothes. His beat-red face turned away from Taichi's gaze. "Thank you, Taichi-san."

"No problem. Okay, I think we should start off a little slower, so-"

"Onii-chan!"

Taichi spun around. A small girl no taller than Koushiro was running toward the soccer field from the school.

"Hikari? You're still here?" Taichi asked the girl as she ran up to the two boys. She paused for a moment to catch her breath before replying.

"You told me you didn't have club today, so we were supposed to walk home together, remember?"

"Oh, right! I forgot! Sorry, Hikari," Taichi apologized, putting a hand on Hikari's shoulder. "Were you waiting long?"

"No, but I did get a little worried when you didn't come by my classroom. What are you doing?"

"Well, you see, this here's Koushiro," Taichi explained as he looked back at his new disciple, "and he's joining the soccer club. I was just teaching him the basics."

Hikari stepped a little closer to Koushiro.

"Hi Koushiro, I'm Yagami Hikari, and Taichi's my big brother! Nice to meet you!"

"Likewise, Hikari-chan," Koushiro replied with a smile. Taichi gave Koushiro a puzzled look.

_So he struggles to call me Taichi-san, but he has no problem calling her Hikari-chan?_

"S-so," Taichi interjected, "I'm sure you've met Hikari before, eh, Koushiro?"

"Um, no, Taichi-san, I haven't, actually."

"Oh… well, I just thought you two might've known each other from before since you're the same age and all."

Both Koushiro and Hikari looked strangely at Taichi.

"Huh?" Hikari questioned. Taichi felt his cheeks getting warm, as if he had said something incorrect or embarrassing.

"W-well, aren't you?" the 10-year-old asked in hopes of making the embarrassing feelings go away.

"Onii-chan, I'm only in second grade," Hikari reminded him.

"Oh, I see!" Koushiro exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "I was going to say, I didn't think Hikari-chan was in fourth grade! You're so small!"

Koushiro's remark made Hikari laugh, but now, Taichi was more embarrassed than ever.

"Koushiro! You're in fourth grade?"

"Yes, class 4-C. I'm sorry, Taichi-san, I thought you knew."

"N-no, not at all!" Taichi insisted, his face now redder than blood. "I'm just… Well… I… You…!"

"It's fine, Taichi-san, I understand," Koushiro said with a smile. "I know, I'm a lot smaller than a normal fourth grader."

"No!" Taichi almost yelled. "I mean, yeah! Wait! Uhh…"

Hikari laughed harder, and she was promptly joined by Koushiro as Taichi struggled to find the right words. He gave up after a while, though, and before long, a chorus of laughter filled the entire courtyard, amplified by the sound waves bouncing off the walls of the school building, itself filled with lingering students and faculty wondering what in the world was going on outside.

* * *

"I'm home!" Koushiro called as he closed the door behind him. As he removed his dirtied sneakers, he heard his mother's footsteps shuffling closer to the door.

"My, you're home a little earlier than usual. What have you been-"

He heard a gasp, causing Koushiro to look up abruptly. His eyes met his mother's look of shock.

"Koushiro, what happened to you?" Yoshie asked feverishly, rushing to her little boy.

"Uh, what do you mean, Mother?"

"Your clothes!"

It suddenly dawned on the child that, in Taichi's eagerness to teach his new teammate the game of soccer, he hadn't had the opportunity to change into his gym clothes. As such, the training-lesson-turned-impromptu-soccer-game had mercilessly stained the redhead's garments with grass stains, dirt streaks, and whatever else had been lying in wait in that sea of green. With this realization, though, all Koushiro could do was chuckle nervously.

"Well, you see… I joined the soccer club," came the honest reply. As he expected, his mother's expression remained.

"Soccer? What happened to the computer club?"

"Kawasaki-sensei, the advisor, suddenly quit, and none of the other teachers were willing to take over. The club members were actually supposed to join other clubs at the beginning of the year, but I sort of hesitated to look into other clubs. Then the administration found out I wasn't attending any club meetings, so they gave me a notice before Golden Week."

"Koushiro," Yoshie almost whispered. He sensed a bit of worry in her voice. "It's been over a month since the school year started. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want you to worry," he said bluntly. "Besides, I was already planning on talking to the soccer captain about joining." The sorrowful expression on his mother's face nagged at his soul, though, and so he bowed as he continued, "But you're right, Mother, I should've said something. I'm very sorry for worrying you."

Although her eyebrows remained raised, the worry lines disappeared instantly.

"No, it's fine," she assured her son with a smile. "I'm just glad you'll be making new friends. I assume today was your first practice?"

"You could say that," her son replied. "There wasn't actually a meeting today, but the captain, Taichi-san, taught me the basics. My first official practice will be tomorrow afternoon, so I probably won't be home until six."

"Well, I'm sure that'll be exciting!" Yoshie then bent down and gave her son a kiss on his dirty cheek. "But I want you to go clean up before dinner. You have half-an-hour, my soccer star."

"Yes Mother," Koushiro responded obediently. He then retreated promptly to his room. "I won't be late!"

As the door closed behind him, another set of footsteps came to the corner.

"Alright, my work for today is finished! Was that Koushiro?" Masami inquired.

"Yes," Yoshie told her husband. "Dear, did you know he joined the soccer club?"

"He did?" The surprise in his voice was more than obvious. "Did computer club get too boring for our little genius?"

"No…"

Yoshie gently grabbed her husband's wrist and led him into the kitchen, where they sat at the table. Concern was apparent in her eyes, and her serene smile had faded. Masami spoke first.

"Is something wrong?"

"He didn't just quit computer club," Yoshie explained, her voice lowered just to make sure Koushiro wouldn't hear. "There hasn't been a computer club, ever since the school year started! And he only just joined the soccer club today." She brought her face up to meet Masami's eyes. "All this time, we thought he was coming home late because he had club meetings. Why would he purposefully come home late for an entire month and not tell us what he's up to?"

Masami placed his hands over his wife's and gave them a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm sure he has a good reason, he always does. Just like his parents."

Yoshie, whose gaze had drifted elsewhere, suddenly directed her full attention toward her husband.

"Dear," she asked uneasily, "you don't think… he knows, do you?"

* * *

A/N: It's been said that Koushiro owns a PiBook (iBook). I looked up the model and found that it wasn't released until July/August 1999, which is interesting because the anime first aired in March 1999. Although, it could be that my information was only for the USA and the model was released in Japan earlier. Anyway, this is all to explain why I decided on having them purchase the PDQ instead of the PiBook.


	5. Premonition

A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry this is late, but here it is! I promise next week's chapter will be on time ^_^' and THANKS for the continued support! Please enjoy!

* * *

**_Chapter Four: Premonition_**

_They said I was half-crazy when they found me; my psychologist insisted the correct term was "traumatized." I think I was a little bit of both. I was crazy with worry and traumatized by the sudden disappearance of a friend. A very good friend. Koromon, my brave little warrior. He was my first memory. Everything before that time is just a blur or nonexistent in my mind._

_As the sun rose on that cool morning, my calls were soon drowned out by the sounds of sirens and horns coming our way. I tried to escape the arms that tried to hold me back, but even in desperation, my tiny body was not strong enough to resist. I kicked and screamed, trying to tell them that Koromon was missing, that I had to stay and find him. Tears and mucus ran down my face, and after a while, no intelligible sounds emerged from my throat. They couldn't understand anyway. Onii-chan may have been crying, too, as we rode in the ambulance, but my ears were so clogged by then, I couldn't tell._

_Mommy and Daddy arrived at the hospital later in the morning. As soon as they entered my room, Mommy ran to my bedside and hugged me as tightly as she could. Her eyes were red and puffy, so I guessed that she had been crying as well. For the longest time, we just sat there in each other's arms. It felt so nice to lean on her after what had happened. I was so worn out, so tired._

_We were diagnosed with only minor scratches and bruises, and so that evening, we were discharged. I, however, was back later that week. Daddy had scheduled an appointment with Watsuji-sensei. I was confused at first, but as we made our way there, Mommy reassured me that the doctor only wanted to help me. That was enough to calm my nerves; maybe he would help me find Koromon!_

_The three of us waited outside Watsuji-sensei's office for a long time, too long for my taste actually, but eventually the door opened and we went in. My smile was ear-to-ear as my parents introduced me to Watsuji-sensei. He was a kindly old man, probably in his early sixties. I was so eager to talk to him; that is, until I heard the door click behind me. Looking around, I realized it was just the doctor and me there. That made me a little nervous._

_He took me over to a sofa and invited me to sit up or lay down, whichever I preferred. I chose to sit up, uncomfortably though. He started by asking me questions about myself, like how old I was and what my interests were. I answered obediently and as best I could, but I didn't understand. He was going to help me find Koromon, right? Why did he want to know so much about me?_

_Several questions into our conversation, I straight up asked him if he would really help me look for Koromon. At this, his eyebrows seemed to wrinkle, and then, he asked me to tell him about "this Koromon." I fervently told him everything, from when his egg came out of Daddy's computer, to his fight with Miko, to when he and I ran around Hikarigaoka, all the way to how he protected Onii-chan and me from the giant bird. When I finished, Watsuji-sensei looked surprised, maybe even bewildered._

"_Have you told your parents about Koromon?" he asked, not changing his expression._

"_Yes," I replied. "They said you would help me look for him."_

_After that, I was asked to wait outside while Watsuji-sensei talked with my parents in his office. By the time the grown-ups emerged from the office, I had grown very antsy, blowing on my whistle and trying new positions to sit in. Watsuji-sensei bent down to my level and said he would see me back next week._

"_But what about Koromon? We're still going to look for him, right? Right?" I begged the grown-ups. Mommy then bent down to my level._

"_Don't worry," she tried to reassure me. "Watsuji-sensei will do everything he can to help you."_

_Somehow, I didn't fully believe her, but I nodded anyway. We left, and sure enough, we were back the next week. And the next. And the next. And the next…_

_The more I saw of Watsuji-sensei, the more I forgot about Koromon, and the more I believed it had all been a dream. Yes, the damaged buildings and the demolished overpass bridge were still there, but where was Koromon? Nowhere. I couldn't even prove to myself that he had ever existed._

_But on some nights, I'll dream of a whistle, a pair of goggles, and an egg. I can never figure out what the egg is, but I just know in my heart that I need to rub it, rub it like a lamp so that something amazing will come out. And as I wake, in that instant when the dream fades into forgetfulness, I can feel a name on my lips that's desperate to reemerge once again and meet me. Onii-chan and me. And then subconsciously, I'll whisper it._

"_Koromon…"_

* * *

She ran and kept on running, but no matter how fast her short legs moved, it only seemed to gain on her more rapidly. Her frail body was already shaking from the strain, but she willed herself to press onward. She didn't dare look back, though she didn't know if it was for fear of losing speed or fear of knowing what was chasing her. All that mattered was keeping away.

Suddenly, the blinding light that had been all around her was overtaken by darkness, deep as the unknown. In her shock, she fell, and at that instant, she knew it was all over. The cold presence of her pursuer was now hovering over her like a heavy, ominous fog. Even if she could muster the courage to gaze upon it, she could no longer see into the blackness.

A cold appendage wrapped around her ankle. She screamed into the void as it dragged her into oblivion.

"Onii-chan!"

Yagami Hikari opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. She jerked her head every which way to check her surroundings. The young girl breathed a labored sigh of relief. She was still in her room, in her bunk bed.

Below her, she heard a thud, followed by windy noises that were probably sheets being thrown about.

"Hikari? Hikari! Where are you?" her brother's voice called from under the bed sheet that was rolling on the floor. She smiled at his silliness.

"Onii-chan, it's all right, I'm up here," she reassured him.

A ghost-like figure stood up. A moment later, the bushy brown hair of Yagami Taichi emerged from under the disguise, as well as the rest of him. His face was filled with worry as he rushed to his sister's side.

"Hikari, what's wrong? Are you all right? Nothing bad happened, did it?"

"I'm fine, I just… well…" She shuddered as she recalled her nightmare. "I had a bad dream, Onii-chan."

"Was it the same one?"

She nodded her head slowly, her countenance reflecting the anxiety her dream had caused her.

"This time," she explained as her voice wavered, "it got me."

Her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, gripping her bed sheet - slightly wet from her sweat - even tighter. Taichi placed a gentle hand on his sister's.

"Wanna sleep by me?" he offered.

"Sure."

The weary girl climbed down from the upper bunk while Taichi picked his sheet up from the floor, and before long, the two of them were nestled under the covers in the lower bunk. Taichi wrapped an arm around his little sister.

"Sleep tight, Hikari," he whispered. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm here."

Hikari brought the covers up to her chin.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Onii-chan."

"Not at all," he replied. He watched as Hikari closed her eyes. "Although," he continued, "just don't wet the bed, okay?"

Hikari brought the covers up even further until her entire face was covered and turned away from her brother. In the distance, Taichi could hear sirens wailing into the still night.

"Oi," he said after a long silence, "I was only joking."

There was no reply. He figured Hikari had already fallen asleep, and before long, he, too, drifted into a deep slumber.

* * *

"Sora-san!" Hikari called to the top of the bleachers. "Over here!"

Takenouchi Sora scanned the crowd and smiled when she found the owner of the voice. Taking care to not bump into others, she made her way through the sea of people until she reached her best friend's sister.

"Hi Hikari-chan, long time no see," she greeted cheerfully. Sora flattened out her hand and placed it on the younger girl's head. "My, I think you've gotten taller again!"

Hikari giggled.

"Maybe. I've gone up a whole shoe size since last year!"

"Really? Wow, before you know it, you'll be taller than Taichi!"

The girls carried on the conversation, talking about whatever popped up like T.M. Revolution, the animals Hikari took care of at the school, and Taichi's sorry grades. It was one of those rare times that Sora was able to speak with complete freedom. She didn't have any close friends that were girls, and whenever she hung out with the boys, the topic was usually sports or some other masculine fad. Sure, she wasn't a girly girl who loved lounging around talking on the phone and doing manicures, but she was still a girl, nonetheless, a fact that many of her friends overlooked. With Hikari, Sora could show her feminine side and not be embarrassed.

Similarly, Hikari only ever had her older brother, and since she was so considerate and polite, she didn't have anyone she could really call a friend. She had a group to talk to and eat lunch with, but hardly any of them were truly interested in what Hikari wanted. Her natural shyness only distanced her even farther from everyone else. Sora, however, was different. She possessed a certain masculinity that Hikari was used to with Taichi, but at the same time, she had the demeanor and empathy of a fellow female. Having known her as long as she had, Hikari trusted Sora almost as much as she trusted her brother, and vice-versa.

Before they knew it, it was time for the soccer club's first game of the season to begin. As soon as the members broke from their huddle, Taichi, proudly donning his red uniform, quickly sprinted over to the girls.

"Onii-chan," Hikari exclaimed as she jumped up, "do your best today!"

"Thanks, Hikari," he replied as he brushed hair out of his eyes. This was one of the few occasions the boy removed his goggles for. He then turned to his other female fan. "Sora, you made it!"

"Of course I did, why would I miss this?" she stated proudly. However, the boy took her rhetorical question quite literally as his cheerful demeanor faded.

"Well, I dunno. It's just… you've been hanging around Ishida a lot lately, so I thought…"

His response caught her off guard, leaving her speechless. It was true that she had been spending a lot of time with Yamato, ever since the first time they had lunch together. The once stoic figure had now transformed into an animated and lively boy with a winner's smile. Sora had even managed to introduce him to other people, like her teammates in the tennis club (although they were probably more interested in meeting a cute guy; Yamato was rather handsome, she admitted). But in the past month, she never thought Taichi had cared, or even noticed, especially since he had been so preoccupied with his new disciple, Izumi Koushiro.

Sora must have zoned out for a minute, because the next thing she knew, Hikari was asking her if she was okay, and Taichi had returned to his teammates. She reassured the worried girl that she was fine before sinking back into her thoughts. For the longest time, she had always wondered how she could reconcile her two friends; considering what had happened the last time Taichi and Yamato exchanged words, that last practice before Golden Week, Sora had considered it a lost cause. She dared not bring up Yamato around Taichi, knowing his feelings about him, and while Yamato was willing to talk about Taichi, there was always a hint of disdain.

It suddenly crossed her mind. Yamato's dislike for Taichi stemmed from his impulsive nature and egotistical attitude, but what about Taichi? When did he start scorning the blonde? The first day of school, naturally. What happened again? She had tried to get the new kid to feel comfortable on his first day. Taichi had been irritated by this, which Sora had sternly confronted him about later that day.

"_Taichi, why can't you be nicer to Ishida-kun? He just moved here."_

"_It doesn't matter if it was his first day or his last! That kid needs to show some respect!"_

"_You could use some training in that yourself, you know?"_

"_Tch! Fine! … I just don't like how he treats you. I mean, here you are, being all nice, and he just brushes you off like a stray cat. You know how many guys would kill for a friend like you…?"_

Sora's eyebrows wrinkled as she recalled that conversation. Was Taichi - dare she even think it - jealous? Did he…?

"Good morning, everyone!" a booming voice greeted over the loud speaker. "You all ready for some action?"

The crowd cheered wildly in response.

"Great!" the commentator continued as the teams, clad in either red or green, took their positions on the field. "Today's match is Odaiba Elementary, led by Captain Yagami Taichi-"

Hikari and Sora cheered along with numerous others at the mention of their home team. The collective uproar drowned out the announcement, and neither the name of the opposing team nor that of their captain were understood in the ruckus.

The whistle blew, and they were off. Players from both teams ran back and forth, determination shining in their eyes. The spectators tried their best to follow the ball, but only a few could keep up with its ever accelerating pace. This one game would set the tone for the rest of the season, and both teams wanted theirs to start with a bang.

Soon enough, a cry swept over the crowd. The scoreboard now read Odaiba: 1, Tamachi: 0. By halftime, the home team had scored another goal. Sora and Hikari then made their way down to the players' bench.

"You were so amazing out there, Onii-chan!" Hikari complimented enthusiastically. "I think that's the best you've ever played!"

"Yeah," Sora chimed in. "Now I'm confident you can handle the team without me."

"Very funny, Sora," Taichi joked back, sticking his tongue out. After nearly chugging his entire water bottle, the proud captain turned slightly toward a figure behind him. "I'm just really impressed with Koushiro right now. You hear that, Koushiro? You were great out there!"

The redhead, situated precariously on the bench, wheezed heavily as he tried to down something from his own insulated container, complete with a device that he said read the container's internal temperature. Taichi slapped his disciple on the back, causing Koushiro to cough up what little he had finally managed to drink.

"What do you think of your first game so far?"

Koushiro, his body shuddering from the strain, looked up weakly at his captain and gave a thumbs-up before collapsing onto the ground.

"Koushiro!"

Kamamoto-sensei and the rest of the team quickly surrounded the little body, pushing Sora out of the circle. Once she regained her bearings, she noticed Hikari staring out onto the empty soccer field.

"Hikari-chan?"

"He's stuck," the younger girl said.

"What?"

Hikari pointed to the field.

"He's stuck. He can't move from there."

Sora followed Hikari's gaze, but all she could see was the play area, completely devoid of people.

At that moment, the captain from Tamachi, a lanky boy with glasses and hair tinted purple, ran out with his teammates following. Hikari gasped.

"No!" she cried. "He can't move!"

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked, her voice filled with worry and confusion. Hikari, however, ignored her.

"He's going to get hurt!" In a flash, she took off running, leaving Sora completely bewildered. She watched as Hikari, running at top speed, approached the center circle, where the Tamachi team was heading as well. Without warning, Hikari dove in front of them, sliding along the grass and coming to halt in a fetal position. The captain, who hadn't noticed her, stopped just short of tripping over the small girl.

"Hikari-chan!" Sora cried as she ran over to her fallen friend. As she came closer, she saw Hikari clutching her chest with her arms crossed as the Tamachi captain loomed over the shaken girl menacingly.

"Hey little girl," the bespectacled boy growled, "what are you doing? You shouldn't be out here. Weaklings like you should just stay off the field."

"Stop picking on her!" Sora scolded the boy. He looked at her and then scoffed.

"Oh? And what's a girl like you going to do if I don't?"

Suddenly, Taichi appeared out of nowhere and stood between the girls and the cocky captain. He stretched his arm out as if protecting them.

"I dare you to say that again!" he taunted. The opposing captain just crossed his arms and smiled crookedly.

"Well, Captain Yagami, I didn't think you'd waste your energy on these weaklings' behalf. Save it for the game, I want to tell my friends how we creamed your team, even though you were giving it your best."

"Just keep your mouth shut! Anyway, last I checked, we were winning 2 to 0!"

"Hey! What are you kids doing!"

The little crowd turned to see Kamamoto-sensei and Tamachi's coach running over. As the two captains tried to explain their side of the story to their less-than-happy coaches, Sora helped Hikari onto her feet.

"Are you okay, Hikari-chan?" she asked as she dusted the dirt off Hikari's clothes.

"He's fine, he just wants to go home now."

"Huh?"

Hikari brought her face up to meet Sora's eyes.

"I have to take him back right now. Tell Onii-chan that I'll be back soon."

"Hikari-chan, what-?"

Before Sora could finish, though, Hikari took off running, her arms still crossed over her chest.

The crowd was still focused on the collapsed Koushiro, who had come around by now, so Hikari made her way to the street easily.

_The ocean is what he said_, she went over in her head.

"Is he okay?"

Hikari spun around and clutched her precious cargo even closer. A dark-haired boy about her age stood before her.

"Is he okay?" the boy repeated. His eyes were filled with concern.

"Yes," Hikari nodded. "He's just a little scared, that's all. He really wants to go home right now."

"I see," he said, eyeing the creature in her arms. "You better hurry then."

"Yeah. Thanks for asking!"

She smiled at the boy, who kindly returned the gesture, and resumed her trek to return the frightened thing to its home.

* * *

"Onii-chan," Hikari interrupted the long silence, "are you okay?"

The soccer captain, with his bag slung over his shoulder and his body hunched, wore a scowl on his face.

"Yeah," he reassured her. "I just can't get over what happened."

After Hikari left the soccer field, the game resumed, with Koushiro on the sidelines; he had apparently overexerted himself and was just extremely overwhelmed. The rest of the team continued to play confidently; after their success in the first half, everyone was sure they would win. However, Tamachi began operating with a new strategy, one that caught Taichi and the rest completely off guard. They managed to score a goal within the first couple minutes, and then another one in the next few. By the end of the game, Tamachi had amazingly defeated Odaiba in an unprecedented 2-10 score. Everyone, needless to say, was dumbfounded.

"Don't think about it too much, you gave it your best," the little girl encouraged. Taichi managed a smile as they began crossing the street.

"Yeah, next time for sure." He looked down at his sister. "By the way, Hikari, what happened out there during halftime?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why did you run out there so suddenly? You could've gotten hurt."

Hikari's cheeks flushed a little. She hated when she made her brother worry.

"I'm sorry, Onii-chan. You see, someone was stuck on the field, and he needed my help."

"Who? You mean that jerk of a captain?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head, "I don't really know. I just knew that he needed my help. He told me he wanted to go home, to the ocean."

"You were talking to a fish?" he asked quizzically.

"No. He wasn't a fish, he called himself…"

Hikari never finished.. At that moment, she stopped short and looked up. Taichi stopped, too.

"He called himself what?" he persisted. "Hikari? Hikari, what are you looking at?"

Her gaze was frozen on a building on the next corner, and her mouth hung open as if in fright. Taichi could see her pupils dilating.

"Hikari?"

Without warning, an explosion erupted from that building. Metal and stray embers flew everywhere. Pedestrians screamed and tried to take cover from the inferno. Taichi ran to his sister's side, who remained as still as a statue.

"Hikari! Get down!"

Taichi flung himself onto Hikari. Another explosion pierced through the street as the two siblings fell onto the sidewalk. Hikari started crying. Taichi embraced her even more firmly.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you!"

Fire continued to rain down on them. The boy could feel the heat closing in on his body, but he refused to move, lest his sister get in harm's way. Firming his resolve, he continued to ride out the terror for her sake.

A moment later, the explosions stopped. Only little pieces of debris fell from the sky now, but the fires continued burning strongly. Sirens could be heard faintly against the crackling of the flames.

"Hikari," Taichi croaked as he opened his eyes, "are you all right?"

The frightened girl, her eyes glistening with tears, nodded slowly.

"O-Onii-chan," she cried weakly, "that man was on fire."

"What?"

She clamped her eyelids shut, causing more tears to roll down her dirtied face.

"He was on fire. H-he looked at me and… His mouth, his mouth was sown shut, b-but he… he smiled. It was scary… And then… And then…"

Taichi held the sobbing girl closely.

"Shh, it's all right, it's all right," he consoled her. They sat there for a few more minutes until the fire trucks and police cars arrived. Standing up, Taichi lifted her and carried her in his arms.

"C'mon," he said quietly, "let's go home."


	6. Promise

A/N: As promised, here's the next chapter on time! :)

I would like to forewarn everyone that this chapter deals heavily with divorce, which I know is a sensitive topic for a number of people. I will admit that I don't know what it's like to go through a divorce or have my parents go through one. I truly hope that I will not offend anyone with what I've written, but if I do, **I apologize**. I just felt that this was a huge part of the character's life and needed to be focused on as such.

(8/25/10) Also, I will be on vacation next week, so there will NOT be a new chapter next week :( HOWEVER, I promise that I will update in two weeks **(9/8/10)** with a special something for you guys, so please look forward to it! ^_^

**_

* * *

_**

**_Chapter Five: Promise_**

_They were fighting again. The bedroom door was closed tightly, and I had buried my head under my thick pillow and wrapped my entire body with the bed covers. I even covered my ears with my hands and hummed a little to make sure. Nothing worked though. I couldn't drown out the angry shouts or reality._

_As far as I was concerned, this night was just like any other night. Ever since we moved here, to Nagano, they always managed to find something to argue about. At first, they were small-scale, like who needed the van that day or who had to watch us after school. However, it didn't take long for things to escalate, and now, they argued about everything. Sometimes, Daddy would leave and not come home for a while. The longest he had been gone was three days._

_I peeked through my makeshift cocoon and saw Onii-chan sitting by the door on the floor. He must have seen me, too, because he immediately walked over to my bedside. That was when we heard the front door slam shut. Mama was still shouting, but I couldn't make out Daddy's voice anymore. I tried to blink back the tears._

"_When's Daddy coming back?" I asked Onii-chan, just loud enough to be heard over Mama. I knew in my heart, though, that even he didn't know the answer._

_Onii-chan just smiled. It wasn't like he was smiling at everything that was going on (I knew it was killing him inside just as much as it was me). He never was great with expressing himself verbally, but what he lacked in words, he made up for in his actions. He smiled to say that there was a reason to be happy, to hope - even now - that eventually, everything would turn out all right. It would be all right._

_Even still, it hurt._

"_Is it my fault?" I said, more to myself than anyone. "They only started arguing because we left Hikarigaoka. We left Hikarigaoka because of me" - the tears came harder and faster, and I began sobbing - "because I told Mama about the big bird and the dinosaur. It's my fault! It's my fault! Daddy left because of me! And Mama will probably leave too! This is all my fault!"_

_I felt Onii-chan reassuringly put his arms around me. We stayed like that for I don't know how long; it seemed like forever, though. I wouldn't have minded if we were stuck like that. Mama had finally stopped screaming at the door, so all I could hear were the sounds of this foreign city and my own sobs, which slowed as I calmed down. For a moment in time, stillness was all around me. Maybe not peace, but I didn't know when - or if - I would ever have peace again, so I settled for stillness. For the first time in a while, I felt like I could breathe._

"_Do you know what 'marriage' means?" Onii-chan broke the quiet. I shook my head "no," too tired to answer. He continued, "'Marriage' means that two people love each other and want to stay together. It's their promise to one another - and their families - that they will be together forever, because of their love. They have kids as proof of their love, and they share that love with them. That's what a marriage is."_

_I looked up at him and hiccoughed a bit._

"_What if they leave us?"_

_He continued to smile serenely at, and for, me, but something in his eyes changed. It was the first time I saw the determination in his eyes waver, but it was so small of a difference that I didn't think much of it._

"_I doubt it," he finally confessed, "but no matter what happens, I promise I'll always be here for you, to protect you."_

"_Promise?" I held out my pinky. Onii-chan held his out, too, and linked it with mine._

"_Promise."_

_The next morning, Onii-chan was gone, too._

* * *

"Takaishi-kun?" Konishi-sensei called for the hundredth time. Takaishi Takeru, the target of his teacher's calls, refused to answer for the thousandth time.

_Ishida Takeru_, he said loudly in his mind. _My name is Ishida Takeru. Why do you keep using Mama's maiden name?_

"Takaishi-kun!" the call came even sharper. This time, Takeru managed to bring his blank eyes up, albeit slowly. His mind told him that Konishi-sensei's stern face reflected her frustration. It all came out in one huge sigh.

"Takaishi-kun, please pay attention," she repeated. The boy remained motionless for a while until he saw that his own choice to be unresponsive was continuing to irritate the new teacher before him. Almost involuntarily, he nodded. Konishi-sensei, still dissatisfied with her student, continued on with her lesson.

_That's how it works, after all_, Takeru thought to himself, resuming to ignore the world around him. _It doesn't matter if you agree with the grown-ups or not. They'll just keep doing what they want to do._

The rest of the morning passed without further incident, and before he knew it, it was lunchtime. The other children all rushed out, either to the cafeteria or to their favorite hangout spot; all, except for a short-haired girl near the front of the classroom. She took her time taking her bento box out, and then skipped cheerfully to Takeru's desk.

"C'mon, Takeru-kun!" she said with a smile. "I have something I want to show you!"

Grabbing his small knapsack out of his schoolbag, Takeru promptly followed her to their own special place: the rooftop of Kawada Elementary. The two of them burst through the door into the open air and were greeted by a blue sky that was more pleasing face-to-face than through a glary window. Taking in the warm breeze, the girl spun around the floor like a dainty ballerina with a laugh to match the happy scene. Takeru couldn't help but crack a smile when his friend glanced back at him.

"Kae-chan, let's eat now," he called to her as he sat down. "Otherwise, we'll be late and get yelled at again."

Still giggling, Kae spun around a few more times before walking - or falling - toward Takeru. She collapsed next to him, grin ear-to-ear.

"Guess what I got my mom for her birthday?" she posed eagerly. Takeru unwrapped a baguette and some cheese.

"A car?"

"No! Be serious!" Kae scolded him as she smacked his head lightly. The blonde-haired boy rubbed the offended spot.

"Sorry. A cat?"

Her incessant giggling told him that he only had one more chance to guess correctly.

"Something we made in art class?"

Kae smacked him again, but without punitive intent this time. Beaming with pride, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a glass egg that fit perfectly in her palm. On it was painted, in bright pink, the kanji for "love."

"Wow," Takeru blurted through a mouth full of food, "yours turned out great!"

"You think so? I'm so glad! I hope she likes it!" Kae lovingly clutched the egg to her chest. "What about yours? Have you finished it yet?"

"Yeah, have you finished it yet?" a deeper voice bellowed from behind. The two eight-year-olds nervously turned to see who had spoken. Blocking the rooftop doorway were three boys from the fifth grade. The tall one in the middle had his arms crossed and displayed a menacing look on his face. Takeru recognized them as the boys who used to pick on Yamato, before…

"It's none of your business, Yuuto-san," Takeru replied curtly as he turned away from them. Three sets of footsteps marched right up to the pair and stopped just behind the much smaller boy. Takeru, though trembling inside, maintained a calm exterior, the way Yamato taught him to do whenever Yuuto and his gang were around.

"Oi!" came the same intimidating voice. "Didn't your big brother tell you to be polite to your elders, heh? Ishida-kun?"

As much as he wanted to say something, Takeru held his ground and continued to ignore the older boy's taunts. He didn't know how much longer he could, though.

"Hey, Yuuto," one of the other boys said, "maybe he's not answering because you called him the wrong name."

"Oh yeah," came Yuuto's voice. "I forgot the little runt doesn't have a father anymore."

"No, it's worse than that," the third one corrected. "His parents are divorced, remember? Right, Takaishi-kun?"

At this, Takeru jumped up and whirled around to face his tormentors. He balled his hands into fists and was about to swing at Yuuto when he felt another hand on his arm.

"Takeru-kun, don't," Kae's wavering voice begged him. "Let's just go inside."

Yuuto scoffed.

"Running away now?" he taunted. "Although, you should probably listen to your little girlfriend if you know what's good for you."

The three of them laughed in unison. Takeru lowered his fists, but anger still flickered strongly in his blue eyes.

_What would Onii-chan do?_ he asked himself as he and Kae grabbed their belongings and made for the door.

"You know, Araki-kun?" Yuuto called, addressing Kae by her surname. "I commend you for sticking up for your boyfriend, but I should warn you. If you're not careful, he may just run off without saying anything, like your good-for-nothing father."

Without thinking twice, Takeru dropped his things and charged straight at Yuuto. He head-butted his adversary onto the ground and proceeded to pummel him with everything he had in him. Kae's screams echoed through the air as he felt himself pinned down. Three sets of fists now struck him from every angle. Even still, he fought back. Anger drove him and nothing else. Kae's tears didn't matter. Yamato's words didn't matter. Even the fact that Yuuto and his friends were beating him up didn't matter. Pure, raw anger didn't need a reason to reveal itself. He just wanted to run free, like a wild animal urged on by instinct.

Right now, his instinct told him to kill, or be killed.

* * *

Before the front door even closed, Takeru dumped his sneakers at the entrance and ran to the living room, where he plopped down on the sofa.

"Takeru, come back here and fix your shoes properly!" Natsuko scolded her younger son as she finished closing the door. "And don't walk away like that when I'm talking to you!"

The young boy shuffled over to the entrance and did as he was told, all the while with a cold glare frozen on his face. He then shuffled back to the sofa and turned the television on. His mother promptly joined him and turned the noisy thing off.

"I wanted to watch 'KyuuKyuu Sentai,'" he lied.

"Not until we're finished discussing your punishment," she said sternly.

"Isn't a three-day suspension enough?"

"Takeru! Where did you learn to talk like that?"

"_Isn't it enough that you run around the city every day looking for the next big thing, instead of being stuck in a stuffy old office?"_ Takeru finally brought himself to look at his mother. People said he resembled her in every way, except gender of course.

"Well you can just forget about watching 'ChuuChuu Sentai,' young man, because you have lost your television privileges until further notice!"

"'KyuuKyuu Sentai…'" he mumbled under his breath.

"And didn't I tell you to fix your room last night?" the angry woman continued. "Your grandfather will be arriving tomorrow, and he wouldn't want to see that his grandson is living in a pig sty. Answer me, Takeru!"

"Yes…"

"'Yes,' what?"

"Yes, Mama," came the obedient response. Yet he didn't move. Neither of them moved.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Natsuko broke the silence. She saw her son's lips move, but nothing came out. "What was that?"

"If Daddy was here…" he mumbled. The older woman had to take a moment to control herself.

"What about your father?"

Blue eyes met blue eyes, and Natsuko realized that her son was on the verge of tears.

"Daddy… Daddy would always help me clean up," he said between sniffles. "Why isn't Daddy here anymore, Mama? Why did he and Onii-chan have to go?"

Natsuko sighed. As much as she loved her little boy, did she have to go through the same ritual of explaining what "divorce" was?

"Takeru," she began with a softer voice, "I love your brother, and I loved your father-"

"But," he interjected with a hiccough, "Onii-chan… Onii-chan said we'd all be together. You and Daddy promised each other we'd all be together, right?"

Memories, both pleasant and unpleasant, began flooding into Natsuko's mind. Strolling through a park, hand in hand. Walking down the same path with a baby stroller. Dropping off Yamato at Kindergarten with the van, together. Happily watching Takeru while doing the laundry, when she found a certain carton in Hiroaki's jacket. The first time they yelled at each other in front of the boys. Moving here and promising that they wouldn't fight anymore. The broken promises - to each other and to their children - piling upon one another with each passing day.

"Takeru, things change," she told him after a short pause. "I'm sorry, but you saw how much we fought."

"Is it any different from me and Yuuto-san fighting?" Takeru rubbed his eyes, trying to keep from losing himself. He unsuccessfully tried to hold his little coughs.

"Well, yes," she stated, a little taken aback from the analogy. "That's between you boys, and with your father and me, well-"

"But in the end, it's all just fighting, right?" Takeru looked up at his mother. His eyes were getting red and puffy. "Mama, I don't understand! Why is it not okay for Yuuto-san and me to fight, but it's fine that you and Daddy fought? Why… Why is it okay that Daddy and Onii-chan left!"

Natsuko was at a loss for words. She did nothing as her broken son fled, sobbing, and locked himself in his bedroom, the room he had shared with her other son not even a year ago. Alone she sat, the muffled cries barely registering in her mind. Alone she thought, happier times of her life flashing before her. Alone she felt, the result of her love life gone wrong.

Something wet fell on her hand, and she realized that she was crying, too. Takaishi Natsuko, a grown woman of thirty years, curled up on that couch and let the tears flow silently. Had she been wiser, had she been more patient, had she not been so desperate, maybe she wouldn't be lying here. Maybe Takeru would still have Yamato. Maybe her boys wouldn't be suffering as much as they were.

Maybe they would still be a family.

Having cried her fill, she sat up and wiped her eyes dry. She then made for her phonebook by the telephone and flipped through it vigorously; finding the name, she picked up the receiver and dialed the number listed. It rang a few times before a man's voice answered on the other side.

"Hiroaki?" Natsuko replied nervously. "It's me… How are you and Yamato? … That's good. Hey, listen…"

* * *

Natsuko knocked on the bathroom door furiously.

"Takeru, hurry up in there! The taxi will be here any minute!"

A moment later, the door swung open, and out came her son. His eyes were only a little swollen, but a bruise was quickly forming on his left cheek where he had been punched the day before. After a quick inspection by his mother, the two of them hurried down to the street, where their taxi awaited to take them to the airport.

"So, you ready to see Grandpa again?" Natsuko asked as the two of them got situated in the back seat.

"I guess," Takeru replied listlessly.

"It's too bad Grandma couldn't come," she continued. "She would've loved to see how much you've grown since she last saw you. You don't even remember Grandma, do you?"

The boy just shrugged as he stared blankly out the window. The occupants of the car sat in complete silence, except for the soft hum of the engine and the radio, which was turned down to minimum volume. Some kids about Takeru's age ran past the car on their way to school.

"You know, Takeru," Natsuko began, "I talked with your father last night."

The little blonde head quickly snapped around to face his mother. Seeing his bewildered expression made it hard to conceal her smile, as well as what she had discussed with her ex-husband the day before.

"Apparently, Yamato's going to camp with his classmates for the summer, and your father and I were thinking…" She saw that she had Takeru's full attention and smiled even wider. "How would you like to spend the summer with your brother at camp?"

Takeru nodded furiously, punctuating his answer with "yes!" and "please!" and "thank you!" Natsuko couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, alright Takeru! But you have to promise me one thing."

The boy immediately stopped at the p-word. Through the years, he had become unusually sensitive to that word or anything associated with it. Once again, he was all ears as he waited for his mother's ultimatum.

"You can only go to camp with your brother," she stated, "if you promise to not get into anymore fights."

Takeru stared at his mother for a while as he weighed the options in his head. If he could resist getting into any skirmishes with Yuuto for the next two months, then he could have the whole summer with Yamato! If not, then he was doomed to a summer of loneliness, except for Kae, but she might have plans of her own already. Was there a catch to this?

"And we can go to Karuizawa this weekend and get that new Sentai action figure you saw on TV," Natsuko added slyly.

"I promise, Mama!" Takeru answered ecstatically. With summer plans established, mother and son continued conversing happily about whatever came up. Once, the conversation turned to what Takeru was doing in school now, and suddenly, the boy remembered what he was going to say to Kae at lunch the day before.

"_What about yours? Have you finished it yet?"_

"_No. I just don't know what word to paint on it."_

He thought about the glass feather that he had fussed with for so long. Most likely, he was the last one in their class working on that art project. The last part of it was to paint a word on their glass figurines that could be written with no more than two characters. The only thing stopping Takeru from completing his was the fact that it had to be a word that he treasured, and in the wake of his parents' divorce, he couldn't think of anything worthwhile. Was there anything left to cherish in his darkened world?

Maybe.

* * *

"_Kae-chan! I finished my art project!"_

"_It's about time, Takeru-kun! Can I see it? What does it say?"_

"'_Promise.'"_

"_Waaaah! It's perfect!"_

"_You think so, Kae-chan?"_

"_Yup! Because like glass, a promise is fragile and can be broken easily, but if you truly treasure it, nothing bad will ever happen to it!"_

* * *

A/N: I realized that this chapter could be a oneshot in itself, so I decided to give Takeru his own little epilogue. What do you guys think? I honestly almost cried multiple times when I was writing this. I hope it's not overly sentimental ^_^'

Some things I want to point out... "KyuuKyuu Sentai GoGoFive" aired in Japan in 1999. It was adapted and released to English-speaking audiences as "Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue." Also, every name I've used so far is a reference to something "Digimon" or a subject pertaining to a character, like computers for Koushiro. Just for fun (and if you have time), let's see how many references you guys can pick out from all the chapters (I'll have to go back and look myself lol). I'll check back when I get back from vacation. Have fun guys! :)


	7. A Stealthy Princess Wears Pink

A/N: I'm back! :D And oh my goodness, how I missed you all! Every minute I was sitting in the car, I wanted to pull out my laptop and keep working (which I did a lot of the time ^_^ ). BTW, my family drove up to Yellowstone and we were near one of the campgrounds when... IT STARTED SNOWING! My though process: "It's summer, but it's snowing... near a campground..." ... XD

Anyways, here's the next chapter (my longest yet). If you couldn't tell just by reading the title, this one's about Mimi :) I confess, I'm not a great comedy writer, but I sincerely tried to make this as enjoyable and pain-free as possible. Hopefully it's not too tedious to read through ^_^' And, I still have a special something on the way, as promised last week! It's just that with getting home late and classes starting this week, I haven't had as much free time as I used to. But I promise, I'll get that one in by the end of the week! :)

* * *

**_Chapter Six: A Stealthy Princess Wears Pink_**

_Once upon a time, there was a lovely princess. She had everything she ever wanted. Her parents - the king and queen - were kind and gentle and loved each other almost as much as they loved their beautiful daughter. The three of them often traveled to foreign lands, where they were always greeted warmly. There wasn't a soul in the whole world who held any ill will against the princess. Yes, every day, every waking moment of her entire life - her very existence! - was spotless and perfect, just like her._

_One day, the princess was found sitting at the banquet table, but she was weeping. Her parents were very worried and wondered what was wrong. However, it didn't take them very long to figure out what was troubling their lovely daughter. The princess, with her delicate hands covering her tear-streaked countenance, was hunched over the vase of roses that she had presented to her mother just a day prior for the queen's birthday celebration. All twelve blossoms had magically wilted overnight, even though they had been provided with the basic necessities! The little princess could not comprehend the reason for such a tragedy!_

_But the king and queen did comprehend and were understanding. The queen kindly placed a hand on her daughter and smiled._

"_Perhaps next time," she told her daughter, "we should just use regular water."_

"_But I really like cola!" the princess sobbed. "I thought the roses would like cola, too!"_

"_Well, now we know that roses don't like cola," the king declared._

_And from that day forward, the princess never put roses in cola again._

* * *

The minute hand ticked onto the number 12, triggering the familiar and most welcome ringing of the bell. Tokumitsu-sensei tried to wrap up her talk on camp activity groups, but her soft-spoken voice was drowned out by the chatter of students eager to get home after a long, boring day at school. Tachikawa Mimi was one of them.

"If I'd known she'd be spending the last hour talking about that camping trip, I would've asked Mama to come pick me up early!" the pink-clad girl whined to anyone in particular. The pony-tailed brunette one desk ahead turned to face her.

"You're really not coming with us, Mimi-chan?" she inquired for the fiftieth time. "Camping's a lot of fun!"

"How can you call sleeping outside in musty teepees fun?"

"One, they're not teepees, they're tents," their pigtailed friend joined the conversation. "Two, camping's a lot more fun than shopping all day."

"Mii-chan! How can you say such a thing!" Mimi gasped, incredulous.

"Well it's true!" Mii returned. "You're out in nature, you can look at the stars just as you fall asleep, you can cook stuff around the campfire and sing songs-"

"Yeah, and then the bears will come and eat you!"

"Better than getting mugged in a department store!"

Taako, the third girl, sighed as her friends started bickering loudly again, both naming only the cons of the other's preferred activity. Mimi listed wild animals, forest fires, and insects, while Mii cited fake merchandise, holdups, and credit card debt.

"Say what you want!" Mimi declared. "I'll be thinking of you shivering in the rain without a campfire as I tan on the white, sandy beaches of the Caribbean."

"Excessive tanning causes skin cancer."

"Anyway!" Taako interjected before the verbal exchange could escalate further. "Aren't we meeting up with Ai-chan in a bit, Mii-chan?"

"Oh yeah! She said she'd take us to see him!" Mii remembered, her face breaking into a huge smile. She and Taako eyed each other giddily. Mimi, on the other hand, looked at her friends blankly.

"Who are you going to see?"

"You know," Taako responded, "that new guy in class 5-A."

"What about him?"

"He's only the most gorgeous guy in the whole world!" Mii breathed dreamily. "Don't you remember, Mimi?"

"How can I? I've never seen him before."

"What!" both Mii and Taako exclaimed. "How could you!"

The two of them then proceeded to inform the oblivious girl of the dreamy paragon who transferred to Odaiba Elementary at the beginning of the school year. His messy hair fell just perfectly over his deep-set eyes. He always had a serious face that just made him look cooler. The same seriousness went into everything he did, which only proved that he would be a loyal boyfriend. Best of all, he was in the soccer club, where he displayed his physical prowess and his smooth skin glistened with manly sweat.

At the end of their description, however, Mimi only blinked. She leaned over to her friends and cupped a hand on the side of her mouth.

"Are you sure you're not talking about Koushiro-kun?" she whispered and jerked her head slightly at the boy seated at the back of the classroom. Mii and Taako quickly peeked at their quiet and overly-polite classmate, who was once again working with his laptop. Thinking back over their choice of words, the two of them unsuccessfully held back snickers. Black, deep-set eyes glanced at the girls for a second before returning to the portable screen.

"Why don't we just show you, Mimi-chan?" Taako offered.

At that moment, the girls' friend Ai popped in through the door; she wore the same goofy smile as Mii and Taako as she motioned for them to follow. Mimi grabbed Taako's arm before she walked too far.

"Is it worth my time?" she asked in all seriousness. Taako, in turn, grabbed her friend's arm.

"Most definitely!" And with that, the two of them ran - or rather, Taako began dragging Mimi - to catch up with their friends.

* * *

Ai put a finger to her lips and turned the doorknob to the school roof using her other hand. The door opened just a crack, through which she peeked to see if he was there. Her smile was all the others needed to know. They silently and eagerly pushed to the front - Mii and Taako wanting to see their beloved for the first time in the two months since he had disappeared from the soccer club, and Mimi just wanting to know what the fuss was all about. The latter eventually won the front seat and had to squint her eyes against the afternoon sun.

There was a boy seated along the raised edge, behind the wire fence, with his leg propped up and his gaze fixed on the horizon. He was clearly Japanese, but his hair was blonde, and his eyes were so striking that Mimi could tell they were blue, even from a distance. A light wind blew by, causing him to brush his perfectly-parted bangs away from his narrow eyes. Sighs escaped the lips of every girl. Except Mimi.

"That's it?" she whispered with a far-from-amused air.

"Well if you're done looking, then make some room," Mii hissed, practically shoving Mimi to the side. She and the other two quickly crowded around the door, while Mimi merely looked on, unable to feel the same level of excitement. She leaned against the wall and waited for her friends, who made soft squeals and commented on how perfect the object of their affections was. When it became apparent that she might be waiting until the boy decided to go home (whenever that was), Mimi announced that she would head back to the classroom. Her statement, however, fell on deaf ears, and so she left without further conversation.

_Well that was a complete waste of time_, Mimi grumbled to herself.

To be completely honest, though, she had been impressed with his good looks. He was everything Mii and Taako had said he was, but that was it. Maybe her friends had seen another dimension to him when they used to spy on him at soccer club, before he mysteriously disappeared from practice, but as far as she was concerned, he was just another pretty boy in one of her fairy tale books.

"I mean, what's so great about a guy who just sits and stares?"

"Yeah, exactly!" Mimi said in response.

She stopped in her tracks. Turning her head every which way, she saw no one in the empty hallway. Yet she did hear a voice!

"Why would I think any lower of someone like that?" a second voice asked. It came from a classroom on the left. Crouching, Mimi shuffled over to the door, which she slid open as quietly as she could. Inside were a boy and girl; she immediately recognized the boy as the soccer captain. The identity of the girl escaped her, but Mimi knew she had seen her with the soccer club on a few occasions.

"It doesn't matter to me if a guy's boring or interesting," the girl continued, "but what does matter is if he's acting like a jerk for no apparent reason."

Mimi couldn't see the girl's face, but she saw the boy's expression change drastically at that statement. He looked more solemn than she had ever seen him before. Actually, this was the first time she had ever seen the soccer captain look anything but happy-go-lucky. What could they possibly be talking about to evoke such an emotion from the hyper, outgoing, arrogant leader of the soccer geeks?

"I guess you're mad at me?" he asked the girl after a moment of silence.

"No, I'm not," she replied. "I just don't understand… It's not like you to be this way."

"Well, that makes two of us," he said as he adjusted his trademark goggles. The new position sent a glare toward Mimi. She winced and had to back away from the door to avoid being blinded. Now, she could no longer look into the classroom, but the conversation piqued her interest so much that she continued listening with her back to the wall. She imagined a captain of the army speaking with a common woman, one who has served as a confidante through the trying years.

"I'm sorry," came the captain's voice. "I just… I don't know. I don't feel like myself at all when I get like that. It's like there's another side of me that takes over." Silence and the sound of shuffling feet. "I guess I don't really have a good excuse, huh."

"Not really," his friend replied, "but all the same, I forgive you. There's nothing in the world that can keep me away from you, Taichi."

_Oh, so that's his name_, the eavesdropper noted.

"So is everything okay between us?"

"Pretty much. Anything else you would like to say before we head out?"

"Well, now that you mention it, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for a while…"

Mimi's ears perked up. The army captain wished to ask this commoner something of utmost importance? What could it be?

Suddenly, footsteps stomped by, and a hand grabbed Mimi, yanking her up and dragging her along. It took her a moment to realize that Taako was pulling her along. Mii and Ai were just ahead. Her friend - panting and smiling - released her.

"C'mon Mimi-chan!" she instructed the confused girl as she let go of her. Although she wanted to go back and hear the end of the conversation, the adrenaline had already kicked in, and so she followed her panicked companions through the halls. The gap widened between Mimi and the three others, but the former found it difficult to run in her designer sandals. Nonetheless, she pressed on, channeling all her energy into her legs as she rounded the corner.

Mimi smacked into something and fell onto her backside. She cried out in pain, rubbing the hurt spots - specifically her butt and forehead. The sound of papers falling to the ground was all around her. When she recovered from the stun and opened her eyes, she saw an older boy with glasses opposite her in the same position - on his bum and rubbing it.

"Watch where you're going!" she nearly yelled with irritation.

"I'm sorry!" he apologized hastily while beginning to pick up his scattered stack of papers. His face was timid, maybe even scared.

"Well, aren't you going to help me up?" the annoyed girl asked. With another apology, he did as she asked. After dusting off her skirt, she proceeded on her path but looked back after only a few steps. The boy was on his hands and knees, scrambling to gather the sheets all around the floor. Even though he was older - probably two grades ahead of Mimi - he looked helpless, pathetic even. There was just something about him that made the sensitive girl feel sorry for him.

Groaning loudly, she marched back over and started picking up papers. He then protested, insisting that he could handle it but thanking her profusely; Mimi said nothing. When all the papers were collected, the nervous wreck thanked her again, bowed, and quickly went on his way, not noticing the folded paper that fell out of his shirt pocket.

"Wait!" Mimi called, picking up the paper. However, the boy was already around the corner and probably out of earshot. Curiosity getting the better of her, she unfolded the paper. It read in bold, black letters, "Student Leader Application Form," across the top. The words meant nothing more to her, though, and so she crumpled the paper in her hand and headed off to find her friends.

There was much explaining to do once the foursome was reunited. Firstly, Mii, Taako, and Ai were running like hyper mice because their dream guy had caught them spying on him. Secondly, Mimi excitedly shared with her friends the drama that unfolded in front of her just moments before. Thirdly, all noted - but were unable to explain - the faint sound of a harmonica floating through the air.

* * *

Mimi hopped out of the back seat and onto the sidewalk along Omotesando. She stretched and soaked in the July sun as her parents joined her. On this fine Sunday afternoon, the family of three planned to shop in Harajuku for their upcoming vacation in the Bahamas. It - as well as this shopping one - was a trip that they had been looking forward to for months. In fact, it was so important that Mimi was asked to resist shopping ever since the school year started! But all those months of waiting paid off as the Tachikawas were quickly swamped with brand-name merchandise of all sorts: swimsuits and dresses for Mimi, purses and high-heels for her mother Satoe, and polos and sunglasses for her father Keisuke.

To commemorate the halfway point of their long-awaited shopping day, the family stopped at a café near the intersection of Omotesando and Takeshita for a round of sundaes, smoothies, and cookies, plus a cola float for the little princess. It was through this café's window that Mimi caught sight of a certain girl and a certain guy walking out of Harajuku station. She immediately recognized the girl as the soccer captain's confidante, and the guy as her friends' silent and serious knight in shining armor. They were smiling. And they were holding hands.

Mimi stood suddenly, accidentally spilling her cola float onto Keisuke's lap.

"Sorry Papa, Mama, I just remembered that I have to do something, I'll meet you back at the car whenever I get done, okay thanks, see you!" she said hastily without taking a breath. As quickly as she rambled, she disappeared through the café door, bells tinkling as it opened and closed.

Mimi ran as swiftly as she could toward the first shop on Takeshita Street, where the couple had entered. The confidante was holding t-shirts to the knight, all the while with an expression of sheer happiness. The knight blushed every time his companion looked at him, which only made her giddier; he even made her laugh when he tried on a baseball cap. Mimi went to the store opposite that one, wanting to keep a stealthy, low profile around those two. Something was up, and she was going to find out what!

When they left the store, Mimi trailed closely behind them. She faintly overheard what they were saying.

"… Yagami will be mad when he finds out?" the knight asked.

"He won't… too ignorant to care," the confidante replied.

_So they're hiding something from this Yagami, whoever he is_, Mimi took a mental note.

She continued to follow them until the next shop, this one filled with CDs and players. Mimi followed them inside this time. Peering from behind a shelf, she saw them playing around with demos, laughing and commenting on each track.

"Did you ever watch it?" the knight inquired with an air, as a "Sailor Moon" memorial CD blared over the speakers.

"But of course!" the confidante confessed with utmost sincerity. "Usagi-san was my role model! What girl doesn't want to be a beautiful super heroine who happens to be a princess, and have a strong and handsome boyfriend?"

"And here I thought you were a tomboy," he teased. She, in turn, stuck out her tongue, followed by a mischievous wink.

"This'll be our little secret then."

_Secrets, eh._

"Let's go," he said. "I don't think we'll find anything helpful here."

Mimi swiftly ducked behind the shelf as the two walked by. They went through the front door, and as it slowly swung back to its shut position, the impromptu spy slid past it before it closed, but only barely.

The next stop sold what looked like camping gear, wilderness fashions, and other survival paraphernalia. So many people crowded the store that the targets were lost easily in the sea of bodies. Mimi frantically searched for their faces, but to no avail.

_Shoot!_ she cursed mentally. _Now what am I supposed to do?_

She considered heading back to Omotesando to find her parents and scanned around one last time. Before she completed a full turn, however, big, bright red letters caught her eye; they read "Telescopes."

A light bulb turned on in her head. She ran over to the display, grabbed one of the smaller telescopes, and climbed up the artificial mountaintop alongside its conquering mannequin. People started staring and snickering, but the princess spy just ignored them; their whispers meant nothing compared to the mission!

With the telescope to her eye, she peered down every aisle and aimed it at every person, just to be thorough. Thanks to this meticulousness, she quickly found the confidante. The target looked around for a bit before focusing on a point; she appeared to be looking in the direction of her tracker, unknowingly of course. The spy saw the target's lips move as if saying something; it looked like she was saying, "What are you doing up there?" Actually, it sounded like she was saying, "What are you doing up there?" Actually, it seemed like she was speaking to-

Removing the mini-telescope from her eye, Mimi found herself face-to-face with the target, their faces only a meter apart. The target repeated her question, as the not-so-secretive stalker felt her face grow hot. Not knowing what else to do, she jumped down from the display and put an arm around the surprised target.

"I was scouting for a smart young girl and thought you fit the bill!" Mimi announced nervously, changing her voice slightly to hopefully disguise herself. "A smart young girl such as yourself would most certainly benefit from a nice, miniature telescope such as this!"

"Oh, okay?" the target said, unconvinced. "And how would it help me?"

"Because smart young girls want to look ahead!" came the hasty answer as Mimi shoved the item into the target's hands. "With this, you can always look ahead, and beyond! Try it!"

The target brought the telescope to one eye and closed the other. The spy used this opportunity to make a run for it and dashed through the front door and onto the street. She leaned on her knees and panted, the adrenaline only beginning to subside.

"Just great, I've already been found out and I still don't know what they're up to," the failed spy lamented. "She'll definitely recognize me if I keep trailing them."

Having caught her breath, Mimi stood up straight and found herself in front of a costume store. Another light bulb turned on, and she dashed in without another word.

"Welcome to Cosplay Corner!" an employee greeted. "Can I help you with anything?"

"I just need something that nobody will recognize me in," she replied hastily. "Anything, doesn't matter."

"That's a pretty vague criterion," the employee said with a side frown. "Anything more specific?"

Mimi thought for a moment, and then blurted, "Pink." The employee grinned ear-to-ear.

"I have just the thing for you!"

"The thing" turned out to be a pink teddy bear costume, complete with fuchsia, heart-shaped sunglasses.

"What do you think, miss?" the employee exclaimed, still grinning. Mimi was about to ask for a different disguise when she saw her targets exit the store across the street.

"This is fine! I'll wear it out! Just put my clothes in the bag!"

After hastily paying for the rather expensive costume, a pink bear barely squeezed through the front door and into the scorching summer heat. Every pore on Mimi's body opened, secreting sweat all over her. The costume felt more uncomfortable than ever as she raced down the street to catch up to the couple.

_Thank goodness it's Sunday in Harajuku_, she thought with some gratitude. _At least people won't think I look ridiculous_.

In her haste, she didn't notice the gothic lolitas and visual kei snickering behind her back. She did feel a huge wave of relief, though, when she squeezed into the air-conditioned café where her targets had stopped in.

"Welcome!" a maid-cosplaying waitress exclaimed. "Just you, Kuma-chan?"

"Yeah, I'll sit here," the pink bear replied, choosing a small table close to the targets. "Can I have a cola float?"

The maid took her order and left. The bear spy, with her back to the couple, listened as best she could through the thick costume material.

"You think he'll be surprised?" the confidante asked.

"Probably," the knight replied, "especially if he knew I went with you."

"Well, hopefully this'll ease the shock if he does."

"Now it sounds like you pity him."

"Maybe?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That I have every intention of telling him about this, eventually, even if he doesn't like it, I suppose."

"_This?" "Eventually?"_

The knight laughed.

"You're ruthless!"

"I have to be, at least with Taichi! He's so thickheaded that you can't just drop hints, or else he'll misunderstand. He needs the whole picture to even grasp what the situation's about."

"_Taichi?" The soccer captain?_

"I guess that's what makes Yagami a great captain, though."

_Yagami again?_

The confidante sighed.

"I suppose so. You know, Yamato, I've been thinking, since we're already here, were should probably get stuff for the-"

"Here's your cola float, Kuma-chan!" the maid announced with a sing-song voice. Mimi hastily grabbed the glass, thanked the maid, and resumed eavesdropping.

"… a little nervous about the whole thing," the knight confessed.

"Don't worry too much. We'll have lots of help once we get there, so we'll be fine."

_Are they going somewhere?_

"Yeah. Well, if you're done, we should probably see if there's anything we can get for the trip. It'll be a while before we return to Tokyo."

"And it'll be a long ride, so we need stuff for that, too."

_Long? How long?_

"I'll take care of the check," the knight - whom Mimi now knew was named Yamato - told his companion.

"Aww thanks, Yamato," the confidante said.

_He's certainly a gentleman, I'll give him that._

As soon as Yamato finished paying at the cashier, Mimi downed the rest of her float - which caused a burning sensation in her throat and all the way down her esophagus - and slapped some money on the front counter.

"Keep the change!" she told the stunned cat-eared girl and ran back outside, only slowing down to squeeze her plus-sized costume back through the door. Her sunglasses fogged up quickly as she popped out and almost missed seeing the targets enter a clothing outlet a few stores down. The sweat kept pouring out while she ran through the costumed crowd; the sheer size of her outfit hindered her greatly, though. Luckily, Yamato and the confidante were still in the clothing store, but Mimi nonetheless groaned when she saw that she would barely squeeze through this door as well. Hot, sweaty, and exhausted, the pink teddy opted to watch from the outside this time. The enormous crowd was mercilessly pushing her every which way, though, and so she squeezed on over to the nearby fountain and stood on the concrete siding to get a better look at what was going on through the store window.

Yamato was looking at a rack full of gloves; his face was stern, as if he was contemplating a serious issue. The confidante skipped up to him, holding two sleeveless turtlenecks - one green, the other yellow. She first held the yellow one up to Yamato and the green one on herself. He said something while scratching his head, and then she blushed, saying something as well. She then held the green one to him and the yellow one to herself. Words were exchanged, and then the confidante grabbed a pair of brown gloves off the rack. She handed them to Yamato, said a few words, and then grabbed a pinkish pair for herself. The two of them paid for the items and headed for the door, Mimi's cue to blend in again.

Unfortunately, a cosplayer carrying what appeared to be a Donkey Kong weapon turned around, swinging the super-plus-size hammer behind him and knocking the pink teddy bear into the cold fountain. Mimi quickly sat up, coughing and sputtering unfiltered water everywhere. She splashed against the surface in utter frustration.

"THAT'S IT!" she screamed. "I'VE HAD IT! I DON'T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE! I DON'T WANNA BE A SPY ANYMORE!"

She continued to whine and splash and cry as the teddy costume soaked up the fountain water, until a hand grabbed her arm and struggled to pull the heavy thing out of the pool.

"Are you all right?" a voice asked just barely loud enough to be heard over the girl's cries.

"Of course I'm not all right!" the dripping wet one yelled. "I just fell into the fountain! How can this ever be all right!"

"Is there anything I can do? Should I call someone for you, like your parents or something?"

"No, they're just on Omotesando, so-"

Mimi stopped short as she opened her eyes. The person who had helped her up was none other than the confidante! And Yamato was standing right behind her, carrying their bags and displaying a very bewildered look!

"Do I… know you?" the confidante asked suspiciously.

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO! OF COURSE NOT!" Mimi replied hastily. She gathered her sunglasses, purse, and shopping bag in an attempt to avoid further eye contact with the targets. "I'M JUST A CUTE TEDDY PASSING THROUGH HARAJUKU! YEAH, I'M JUST A CARE BEAR! MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE~!"

And with that, the pink teddy bear Mimi hurriedly sloshed her way down Takeshita Street, wanting nothing more than to put this hair-raising escapade behind her.

* * *

Mimi ran straight for her room and slammed the door behind her.

"Mimi!" her father called from the hallway. "What about your teddy!"

"Just hold on, Papa!" she called as she picked up her phone receiver and started dialing. "This is very important!"

A yelp and a thud sounded on the other side of her door, but the girl was so concentrated on what she was doing that she didn't care or even notice. The phone rang a few times before a voice answered on the other end.

"Hello, Maeda residence."

"Ai-chan!" Mimi practically yelled into the receiver. "Get Mii-chan and Taako-chan on a conference call right now! It's an emergency!"

A few agitated moments later, all four girls were on the line.

"Can we make this quick? I don't want to miss 'Gaki no Tsukai,'" came Mii's slightly irritated voice.

"Yeah, what's going on, Mimi-chan?" Taako asked.

"You girls remember Taichi-san, the soccer captain, was in trouble with his girlfriend, just before he swept her off her feet and asked her out earlier?"

"Okay…?"

"What about?"

"She's just toying with him! She's actually in love with someone else!"

"What does that have to do with us?"

"I saw her on a date in Harajuku today! With your knight in shining armor, Yamato-san!"

"WHAT?"

"NO!"

"IT CAN'T BE!"

"Yes! They were holding hands and being all lovey-dovey and sharing secrets with each other! But the worst part is they don't want Taichi-san to know, at least not yet! They're planning on completely shocking him after they run away from Tokyo to get married and live happily ever after!"

"That is so wrong!"

"Unbelievable!"

"No! My future boyfriend!"

"That's exactly my point! They're snakes, I tell you! Snakes!"

"We should do something!"

"Poor Taichi-san!"

"I'm going to be an old maid!"

"Mimi-chan!" Satoe sang on the other side of the door. "Papa and I need you here right now, please!"

Mimi placed her hand over the receiver. "Coming!" She then removed her hand to wrap up the conversation. "I have to go now, but think of some way to help Taichi-san. Spread the word if you have to! I'll see you girls tomorrow!"

"Understood!"

"I'll do my best!"

"Yamato-san…"

The phone clicked shut. Mimi pushed her door open and found her parents seated at the dining table. Keisuke had his foot propped up on another chair with an ice pack resting on his ankle; Satoe sat next to him, smiling the widest and cheesiest smile Mimi had ever seen.

"Sit down, Mimi-chan," Satoe instructed. Mimi did as she was told. Keisuke spoke first.

"Are you excited about our vacation this summer?"

"Of course I am!" Mimi replied enthusiastically. "I've been wanting to go to the Bahamas ever since I was little!"

"I see," Keisuke thought aloud. "How do I say this…"

"Is something wrong, Papa?"

"Not really. You see, your mother and I just looked over our receipts from today, including yours, and it seems that we went a little over budget…"

"Okay…?"

"What your father is trying to say," Satoe took over, still donning her plastered smile, "is that we no longer have enough money to go to the Bahamas this summer."

"WHAT?"

"That," Keisuke continued, rubbing his ankle, "and I seem to have forgotten to purchase the plane tickets ahead of time. And I seem to have sprained my ankle quite badly, so it would only be a hassle if we went on vacation with my ankle."

"B-but," Mimi protested, "what am I going to do this summer! I'll be stuck here at home while Mii-chan and Ai-chan and Taako-chan go to camp-"

"A-hah!" Keisuke and Satoe exclaimed simultaneously. Mimi jumped at this.

"What's 'a-hah?'"

"Why don't we send you to summer camp?" Keisuke offered. "That way, you won't be bored, and you'll be with your friends!"

"WHAT?"

"I think it's a great idea!" Satoe chimed in. "I'll call the school first thing in the morning and see if you can still register!"

"Ah, I remember camping with your grandparents when I was young," Keisuke reminisced, leaning back in his chair. "Your Aunt Yuka and I used to play tricks on them. We'd scatter food inside their tent while they were asleep and leave the entrance wide open. Then in the morning, we'd hear them screaming because some tanuki got into their tent! It's a wonder that a bear never came by…"

Mimi wasn't paying attention to her father's story. All she could think of were Mii's vices of shopping, as well as how much she suddenly didn't want to see the girls tomorrow at school. Oh how they would taunt her then.

"It… can't… be…"

The tired girl slowly rested her head on the table. Keisuke continued rambling, while Satoe hummed around the kitchen, putting together another chocolate sundae, both very much oblivious to their daughter's plight.

* * *

A/N: I don't know about you, but I laughed XD my chief editor said readers will either be really entertained or really annoyed, so hopefully it was more of the former ^_^'

Since there were so many references in here, I'll try to get them all and explain them...

Harajuku is a large shopping district surrounding Harajuku Station in Shibuya, which includes Omotesando and Takeshita Street (Takeshita-dori). Omotesando has more namebrand stores, like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, whereas Takeshita's stores have more affordable merchandise for teenagers. Also, every Sunday in Harajuku, cosplayers gather, so if you happen to wander into Harajuku on a Sunday, you might find gothic lolitas, visual kei, rockabilly, and punk-style outfits.

"Gaki no Tsukai" is the abbreviation for "Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!" which translates as "Downtown's This is No Job for Kids!" Downtown is a prolific manzai kombi (comedy duo) (and my personal favorite) and hosts various shows now airing in Japan. "Gaki no Tsukai" in particular has been airing since 1989. Check them out on youtube when you can! :)

And I guess that's it. Hoped you liked it and please look forward to next week! :D


	8. The Third Son

A/N: Another week, another chapter... Here you go! :D and thanks for all the reviews!

Quick note... "The Third" is highly revered in Japanese culture and is regarded as illustrious, important, powerful, etc. for example, the third principal, the third prime minister, the third CEO. I believe it started with Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty who isolated Japan from the rest of the world, limiting trade to only the Dutch. This isolation lasted 200 years until Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived in 1854 and forced open trade with the West. The Meiji Restoration in 1868 solidified these new relations (see "Rurouni Kenshin" for political, social, and cultural repercussions :) ).

**_

* * *

_**

**_Chapter Seven: The Third Son_**

_The door practically slammed behind me as I threw my sneakers onto the mat and rushed into the living space. My brothers were fighting over the remote control, while Mom busied herself in the kitchen and Dad sat at the dinner table, reading the newspaper. You'd think at least one person in our somewhat large family would acknowledge my presence, but none did. That didn't matter though; I was going to make an announcement regardless._

"_Everyone!" I started, breathless from my run from school to home. Once again, I was ignored. With the television turned up, my brothers going at each other, and the hissing sounds of the stove, though, I didn't blame them. So I tried again, except louder._

"_Mom! Dad! Shin-nii-san! Shuu-nii-san! I have something to say!"_

_Something whacked the coffee table, and the volume became louder. The tea kettle started singing, only adding to the ruckus coming from that corner of the apartment. Dad turned to the next page. More determined than ever, I pulled out a chair, climbed onto it, and at the top of my lungs, screamed, "WILL EVERYONE PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY?"_

_Surprisingly, our entire unit became quiet almost instantly. The television flipped off, the stove completely died down, and Dad continued reading. Except for his, all eyes were on me now. Satisfied with this, I was about to make my important announcement when Dad spoke first._

"_Go fix your shoes properly," he ordered without looking up. I wasn't frustrated that he interrupted me once I had the spotlight; I was frustrated, however, that he acknowledged me through the lack of care and organization I had given my shoes upon my return from first grade. I obeyed him, though, without retort, and ran back to the entrance. Once the deed was done, I once again came into a world of complete disharmony and noise. I wondered if it was worth it to try again, but before I could decide, I felt a hand on my shoulder._

"_Now, what were you going to tell us?" Mom more stated than asked, wearing her huge smile that was pleasant to outsiders and intimidating to her family. My pores opened as sweat started spilling out; my brothers felt the effects as well and stopped horsing around, opting to sit quietly on the sofas with their hands folded like angels. Dad still didn't look up, but we all knew he was listening._

"_Go ahead," she encouraged. With her on my side, I felt my confidence swelling again._

"_Everyone," I repeated, smiling ear-to-ear, "I was elected as class representative today!"_

_Mom clapped her hands together, exclaiming how proud she was of me before shuffling back to the stove. My brothers came over to me - donning their black gakuran and slinging their school satchels over their shoulders - and congratulated me as well._

"_Yeah, way to go, little bro'!"_

"_Before you know it, you'll be just like your big brothers!"_

"_But you'll be way ahead of us by the time you're our age."_

"_Especially with all the duties and responsibilities of being a class rep."_

"_Oh yeah, it takes a great man to even have a chance at being a decent class rep!"_

"_But you share our genes, so that shouldn't be a problem!"_

"_Unless he wet himself during elections, then there's no hope."_

"_True that, true that."_

_They nodded in unison as my smile faded into more of a blank stare._

"_Responsibilities…?" I barely eked out._

"_Oh, you didn't know?" they asked together._

"_Well, Takeuchi-sensei said I'd be like her assistant."_

_Shin-nii-san and Shuu-nii-san laughed heartily, one covering his glasses, the other clutching his stomach._

"_Yeah, you'll be Takeuchi-sensei's assistant all right!"_

"_More like her slave!"_

_Their laughing fit continued stronger than ever. I merely cocked my head to the side, unable to comprehend what it was they found so entertaining._

"_What do you mean?" I earnestly asked. I only wanted to be the best class rep I could be. How could asking hurt?_

"_You see, little bro', a class rep basically handles all class affairs outside of teaching."_

"_You know, like cultural fests or fundraising or giving assignments to the other kids."_

"_But those are only the easy parts of the job."_

"_Yeah, there are also implied responsibilities that are just expected of someone in that position."_

"_Like, you're expected to uphold the school's reputation and all the core beliefs."_

"_You're basically a living, breathing, walking projection of the school!"_

"_And since people see you that way, all your classmates - and even the older students! - look to you as a leader."_

"_Okay," I nodded, wondering if I should take notes._

"_So if they ever need something, you're expected to help out or give advice or have the knowledge and means to solve whatever's thrown your way."_

"_That's another thing, you have to be prepared for anything. Anything!"_

"_Seriously, if some kids are being jerks, you have to explain their behavior to authority!"_

"_And, you have to take responsibility for your actions as well as your classmates'!"_

"_And, the faculty expects you to tell them if anything's wrong!"_

"_And even if there isn't, they expect you to regularly communicate with them so they know what's going on at all times!"_

"_AND DON'T FORGET!" they bellowed together, blowing me back a bit from the statement, amplified by their united voices. "CLEANING DUTY!"_

_I could've sworn I heard an echo as the three of us stood facing each other - Shin-nii-san and Shuu-nii-san looking down on me with their arms crossed, and little me, shaking and cowering against the wall like a scared mouse facing a vicious cat. That's how I felt, anyway._

"_Don't you two have cram school?" Dad snapped from behind the newspaper. In the blink of an eye, my brothers disappeared through the front door. It slammed shut behind them, leaving Mom, Dad, and me in complete silence. I slumped onto the linoleum floor, my face twisted by bewilderment and disbelief and feeling completely deflated._

"_How am I…? I didn't know I… What… There's no way I can… I'm going to… I'm… I'm… I'm…"_

_With my eyes closed, my stomach lurched, forcing my hand to my mouth. My brothers had just revealed to me the impossible responsibilities of being a class rep, impossible for me, at least. The fact sunk into me so deeply, even my body knew it. I knew that because I never got sick! Ever!_

_I felt a pair of hands pick me up and set me in a chair. Opening my eyes, I found my mother before me._

"_Listen to me, son," she said sternly. "There is no such thing as 'impossible.' You can do anything, as long as you put your mind to it. Understand?"_

_I nodded weakly and then looked to my father for some words of encouragement as well. I still wonder how he could see me from behind that newspaper, because not long after I looked over, he responded, "Exactly, just as long as you get into medical school."_

_I should've known he would say that, but that didn't matter to me at the moment. Hopping off the chair, I slowly made my way to my bedroom, closed the door, and curled up on my bed. With the blinds down, I laid in darkness, not thinking, not staring, not doing anything. I just stayed there for the longest time as four voices bounced around in my head: Shin-nii-san's, Shuu-nii-san's, Mom's, and Dad's._

_Even though in the long run, it was the most insignificant information I had gained that day, my brothers' attempt to intimidate me affected me the most, for the rest of my life._

* * *

The final bell tolled, prompting the students to gather their belongings and dash out the door. Luckily, Kikuchi-sensei had finished his announcement about the student leader meeting at the end of the week before the madness and merely watched as the students eagerly left. In less than a minute, the classroom was completely empty except for two individuals.

"Kido-kun," the teacher called to the second person. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Kido Jou, with his perfectly straightened collar and tucked-in shirt, more or less shuffled to the front where his teacher stood. He barely brought his face up to be seen.

"Did you talk with your father?"

The twelve-year-old nodded, but his solemn look remained.

"Is something wrong?" Kikuchi-sensei inquired further.

"No, not really," the boy replied, his expression unchanging.

"Is it about the form?"

He nodded again, a heavy sigh accompanying this one. His frustrations were more than apparent in his dark eyes, even from behind the glasses.

"Can you believe it?" Jou began. "He yelled at me about folding it and putting it in my shirt pocket before yelling at me about losing it so carelessly."

The preteen painfully remembered his father's words from that time. He had finally convinced his parents to not only let him go on the school camping trip over the summer, but to also apply to be a student leader, an offer only permitted to sixth-years. It was a great opportunity to develop his leadership skills that he would need as a physician, and it would enhance his applications to the prestigious, private middle schools they had been bugging him about ever since they moved to Odaiba. But on the day Jou promised to give the application to his father to fill out the "legal guardian" portion, he was unable to do so, causing Kido-sensei to lose faith in his youngest son. It had taken his mother, both his brothers, all four of his grandparents, and Kikuchi-sensei to convince the strict patriarch to even reconsider allowing Jou to go to the countryside for two weeks, let alone be in charge of five younger children. Jou was just a child himself, after all.

Reaching into his satchel, the boy pulled out his duplicate application form, completed and signed, and placed it on Kikuchi-sensei's podium. That one piece of paper was Jou's ticket to freedom and the end result of his teacher's pleadings (in addition to his family's), but it brought no comfort to either individual. That one paper - the result of all the trouble caused by another piece of paper - seemed more like a dead animal between the two males. It emitted an evil aura that taunted Jou silently, and he heard it.

"I thought you might be more relieved," Kikuchi-sensei finally said as he picked up the form.

"I am," Jou mumbled.

"Then why are you still sulking?" Maybe Kikuchi-sensei was prying, but he was also sincerely interested in his student's well-being. Such a bright, intelligent, aspiring kid like Jou surely had no reason to be unhappy, right?

"Well, I guess the form's part of it," the boy confessed, "but I suppose it's really because I messed up again."

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"I know, but it seems like Dad only notices when I make mistakes. He's always scolding me about the smallest things, like if I wiped the eraser shavings off my desk or if I pushed in the chairs just right so the seats don't overlap under the table. Do you know what he said when he handed back my form? He said if I lost that one, too, I wouldn't be allowed to even leave my room during my breaks between studying."

"He's strict because he cares."

"It's just so hard!" Jou had trouble holding back his emotions. He clenched his fists and bit his lip as tears started to form in his eyes. "I'm just not good enough for him! Even if I do everything he says perfectly, it won't matter because my brothers did it first! Shin-nii-san's in medical school, and Shuu-nii-san's been at the top of his class since elementary school! They goof off all the time, but they earned it! And here I am, twelve years later, still struggling for his approval! I've done everything I can! All I do is study! I bring home A's on every test and assignment! I join student government and the liaison council and go to those stupid leadership seminars! And now this! All I wanted was to do something different from Shin-nii-san and Shuu-nii-san, but I just made it worse!"

The boy had lost all control over himself. The tears fell freely now, his lanky body shaking with each sob. Never before had he felt so defeated, so trapped in this brutal reality that was his life. Twelve years of anger and frustration now poured forth, and there was no sign of the end. Kikuchi-sensei only listened, though; he knew that all Jou needed was to let it out, something he had been discouraged from doing for far too long.

"Maybe," he hiccoughed, "I should just accept that I'll never impress him. Maybe I'm supposed to live in my brothers' shadows. If I did, I wouldn't feel as bad about myself."

"You could do that," his teacher agreed, "or, you can sit back and be yourself."

For the first time that day, Jou brought his face up.

"What do you mean by that, Kikuchi-sensei?"

"Jou, have you ever heard the phrase, 'lead by example?'"

"I'm not sure, sensei."

"It means that even though one doesn't hold a position of leadership or directly tell others what to do, one leads the others by doing what is expected of him, thereby being a good example for others to follow. Allow me to illustrate; your parents taught you and your brothers to do well in school and be leaders to your classmates. Naturally, Shin and Shuu were taught first, and then you were taught to follow their example. Maybe your brothers didn't tell you how and what to do, but you learned through watching them."

"I think I'm beginning to understand." Jou rubbed his puffy eyes, trying to wipe away the accumulating moisture.

"You may think that all your accomplishments are nothing when you compare yourself to your brothers," Kikuchi-sensei continued, "but if you listen to your teachers and your classmates, you'll find them saying very different things. Everyone thinks you're a wonderful person. You're hard-working, ambitious, reliable, and you always make yourself available for assistance, whether with an event or for homework. They all say that about you, even though you stay in the background most of the time.

"A leader doesn't have to be in the spotlight or give fancy speeches to an entire nation," the older man explained. "All a leader has to do is do what is right."

For the first time in a while, the preteen felt a sense of pride in himself. It was only a little bit, but it was enough to remind Jou that he wasn't a lost cause. That's right. How could he be? Not only was he the youngest son of the Kido family; he was the third son.

* * *

Jou breathed in deeply as he took in the warm summer sun. A cool breeze washed over his face, sweeping away all his troubles. Kikuchi-sensei's words had given him new hope, and now he strode down the sidewalk, head held high and smile wider than the ocean.

_Yeah, Kikuchi-sensei's right_, he thought to himself. _I'm doing just fine! I don't need to try to get ahead because I'm already ahead! Dad will acknowledge me eventually if I just stay the way I am. I'm his third son, after all!_

His outlook on life had completely changed. Before, he believed he could only be recognized if he stood out, in everything, something that could only be accomplished through a blatant display of his abilities. But his teacher had made him realize that he could get ahead in a fashion that was more suited for someone of his demeanor. Now, he knew he was recognized for everything he thought he was lacking in. It was like a door had been opened, and he felt his confidence swelling. He would do the right thing, just as Kikuchi-sensei said.

Jou was so lost in thought that he didn't notice a young girl cross his path, stopping just short of colliding with her as she ran by. He was about to apologize for nearly mowing her down when two boys - both much more fit than he - nearly mowed him down in turn. Slightly disoriented, he barely heard the beginning of what sounded like the boys threatening someone.

"We're not going to hurt you, at least if you do what we say."

"Yeah, just hand over whatever it is you're holding and we'll let you go."

Turning toward the voices, he saw their backs facing him. Broad shoulders and the beginnings of ripped muscles revealed themselves through the short-sleeved tees, and in the space between these manly characteristics, Jou saw short, light-brown hair shaking with fear. He concluded that the hair belonged to the girl he barely missed just a moment ago.

"I'm sorry," a tiny voice squeaked, "but I have to take him home now."

"Sure!" one of the boys bellowed. "Just let us see what it is you're hiding, and then we'll let you go!"

"Please! You're scaring him!" the voice squeaked back. Next came the other boy's voice.

"We're scaring what? You're imaginary friend?" The two of them scoffed.

"No… but please, just-"

"Just shut up already! You're just a nutcase who thinks she's doing the world a favor by saving invisible fish and returning them to the sea! But what's really disgusting is how you think you're a saint in your delusional mind! You know what you are? You're scum! The lowest of the low! An insect that I'd love to lock away forever!"

Jou saw a head rise a bit, revealing the girl's light-colored eyes.

"My brother-"

She was cut short by menacing laughter.

"That's another thing about you. You talk and act big, but you don't have the spine or muscle to defend yourself. You think you're big, bad brother is going to come save you with his soccer ball?"

"Ever think that he's sick and tired of sticking up for a nut like you? I would be!"

The eyes clamped shut, followed by sniveling sounds.

"Onii-chan's… Onii-chan wouldn't-"

"Onii-chan! Onii-chan!" the bullies taunted in falsetto voices. Meanwhile, Jou was figuratively cowering in a corner himself.

_That poor girl_, he thought helplessly. _Even if she is a little weird, it's not right to pick on her like that! Someone needs to do something!_

As much as he wanted to help her, though, he knew he wasn't the kind of person to jump into the fray uninvited. Scratch that; he wouldn't jump into a fray! Ever! He was Jou, the quiet and cautious third son, not Shin, the cool-headed and authoritative first son, or Shuu, the charming and outspoken second son. He had only recently accepted that fact! He couldn't step out of character so suddenly!

_But even if I am weaker-willed, I'm the only one around. Who knows when - or if - someone else will come along, and if someone does, would they help her? In any case, what can I do? I can barely defend myself as it stands! I'll be creamed by those guys if I get involved! But… what if something bad happens to her? She's probably praying that someone will come rescue her. What if I'm that someone? No, it can't be! I'm not built for this kind of thing! I'll be-!_

The girl, with her arms wrapped around her chest, fell backward onto her behind. The boys began closing in.

"… _do what is right…"_

Clenching his fists, the third son of the Kido family strode up to the scene. He tapped both boys on the shoulder, gulping as their hardened faces turned to meet his. A Buddhist chant for protection from evil spirits suddenly popped into his mind, which he promptly recited to himself.

"What?" asked the confused bullies. The class rep cocked his head to the side.

"Did I say that out loud?" He could feel his face turning red faster than a melting ice cube in an oven. The blank stares from everyone, including the scared girl, said enough. Jou inhaled quickly to calm his nerves.

"Anyway, my good gentlemen," he began with a squeak. The blank stares persisted as Jou cursed the onset of his puberty. "I must inform you two that it is clearly outlined in the Odaiba Elementary School Code of Conduct, Section III.A.7, that any form of bullying is strictly prohibited, both on and off school grounds, and will not be tolerated. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you desist this activity at once and go on your way quietly. Please."

Blank stares met uncomfortable expression, and as much as Jou wanted to avert his eyes from the three pairs before him, he knew from past experience that eye contact was very important when getting across a point. If he backed down, they would sense his fear and embarrassment and think lower of him; on the other hand, if Jou kept eye contact, he would somehow telepathically transmit his feelings to them, thereby gaining temporary control over them. Minutes seemed to pass, and unfortunately, Jou felt no hint of submission from either boy. Turned out, he was right.

"What the heck!" snickered one boy. He covered his eyes with his hand and shook his head.

"Okay then, officer," the other mocked, "what are you gonna do if we don't 'desist this activity at once'?"

"Th-then," the older boy stuttered, feeling his confidence wavering, "I'll… I'll… have to report you to administration!"

At that point, both bullies erupted with laughter. The girl, still crossing her arms over her chest, continued staring. Her eyes pierced through her rescuer's soul like a lightning bolt, making him feel like the small one. The boys recovered faster than Jou could, however, and promptly puffed their chests and glared at the intruder. Even though they were shorter than Jou, they now seemed a lot bigger than the lanky defender.

"Why don't you go on your way quietly?" they offered with evil smiles. It sounded like a final ultimatum, a split-second decision that could mean life or death.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Jou insisted, "unless the two of you promise to leave that girl alone."

The boys looked at each other, shrugged, and then looked back at Jou.

"Suit yourself."

A fist made contact with Jou's jaw, knocking off his glasses and sending him spiraling down to the pavement. For the first time, he tasted blood in his mouth. A kick landed on his stomach, and he briefly saw stars before being punched in the face again. He curled into the fetal position by instinct, but his low threshold for pain made every succeeding blow just as agonizingly painful as the last.

"Stop it!" a voice cried out. "Please! Stop hurting him!"

Two strong hands grabbed Jou by the collar and lifted him high. He would have yelled at the girl to run - either away or to get help - but his head pounded so much that he couldn't even think straight. His weary eyes opened to a blurry world as he suddenly felt weightless, before crashing onto the ground again.

"STOP! PLEASE! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Through his eyelids, the beaten preteen sensed a light radiating brightly. It couldn't have been the sun or a streetlight. This glow seemed much closer and maybe even organic, like a giant firefly continuously displaying its natural lamp. Also, there was a tingling feeling that came with the mysterious light, a good kind of tingling that rejuvenated Jou's aching body, even if it was only in his mind.

"What in the world?" one of the boys exclaimed. "What is-!"

The brightness ceased just as suddenly as it had appeared. Opening his de-spectacled eyes for the second time, Jou could only make out shapes. The two closest were most likely the bullies; in that case, the one farthest from him would be the girl. From what he could discern, her arms were at her sides now, and she stood up straight, as if daring to face an impossible task set before her. He wondered if that was how he had looked before being knocked down.

"Both of you, please stop this nonsense at once!" the girl commanded sternly. She sounded much older, more mature now. This drastic change in tone surprised Jou; he had barely seen the girl clearly, but he knew that she couldn't be older than eight. And even if she was rather mature for her age, she had certainly sounded like a young girl of eight years when she had been cornered initially.

"As soon as you quit that 'holier than thou' attitude, you little runt!"

One of the closer shapes lunged for the girl. Jou tried to will himself to his feet, but all his energy was gone. He could only watch helplessly as the boy-

"AARRRGGHHHHH!"

The boy threw his head back as he cried out in agony, backpedaling as he did. His left hand grabbed his right arm. He squeezed it for a moment before seeming to swat at thin air. His companion stood dumbfounded, unsure of what to do.

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

"Get what off?"

"I DON'T KNOW! JUST GET IT OFF! GAAAHHHHH!"

The shrieking boy now waved his right arm furiously and ran in a circle of sorts. The limb moved so fast through the air that Jou imagined seeing a small dog with floppy ears angrily biting onto it. He considered the possibility of brain damage as the imaginary puppy slowly became colored; the blue eyes and golden collar were the most distinctive features to appear in his hallucination. The blob that may or may not have been there (Jou didn't care at this point) was soon thrown off and disappeared into nothing; the boy who had been "attacked" slumped to the ground, panting and gripping his injured arm. Red lined his forearm in an arch, resembling a bite mark.

"That's it, you little pest," rumbled the voice of the uninjured bully, "I'm gonna-"

"What's going on here?"

The girl and the bullies looked in the direction the fourth voice had come from. Without another word, the bullies quickly ran past the girl, disappearing around the corner of the adjacent building.

Hands grabbed onto the weary boy and gently turned him onto his back.

"Are you all right, Jou?"

"Y-yeah, I just-"

Jou rubbed his eyes. He blinked multiple times to clear his vision. Even without his glasses, he could easily recognize his brother's face.

"Shin-nii-san!" he exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Shuu and I decided to take the long way home today, and it looks like it was a good thing we did. He's here with me."

Shin carefully brought his brother to a sitting position, and Jou caught sight of Shuu's figure standing behind their eldest brother.

"Um, excuse me."

The youngest turned his head to face the girl. She held out her hands, and sitting in them were his glasses.

"Thanks," he said, grabbing them and placing them on his face. Miraculously, they hadn't broke or even cracked when he had first been struck. If one wasn't looking for flaws, they would have seemed almost brand-new!

"You're welcome," she replied sweetly. "Thank you for trying to defend us, and thank you both, also, for scaring those guys off! We're really grateful for that!"

"No need to thank us," came Shuu's voice, "we were only passing by."

"That, and we really didn't do anything," Shin added.

The back and forth continued, leaving Jou completely out of the loop. He just sat patiently, listening for a good time to butt in, although he didn't mind it much. He was used to this kind of activity, being the youngest in his family, but he wondered how much longer he could keep up with this behavior. He was already in his sixth year of elementary school. Even if he was an expert on being the youngest, he was one of the older kids in school now.

"… and then he lunged for us when you two showed up!" the girl finished.

"Wow, that's quite a story," Shuu commented.

"I'm impressed, Jou!" said Shin as he slapped his brother on the back. Jou gasped for air.

"With what?"

"You got beaten up that much and you only look like you rolled in the dirt! That's talent right there!"

"What are you talking about? I should be a bloody mess after all that!"

"Uhh, check again," his brothers replied in unison. Jou did as they said, and to his utter surprise, they were right! Inspecting his whole body over, he found that there wasn't a cut or scrape anywhere!

"What the…? How can…? This isn't…," Jou rambled, unable to grasp this reality.

"Well, we have to get going," the girl stated. "He… I mean she, would like to be on her way now. Thanks again!" She ran onto the main sidewalk, muttering something like, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were a girl," before disappearing from sight. All three brothers just stared after her.

"Well, sounds like you've had an eventful afternoon, little brother," Shuu started as they walked down the street. "I can't believe you tried to fight off those kids by yourself! … Jou? Hey, are you listening? Hello?"

Jou was in fact listening, although unresponsive and deeply lost in thought. He was extremely glad the girl didn't get hurt and still getting over the shock of coming out of that completely unharmed; neither fact was the cause of his unsettling, however. The boy could find no feasible explanation for the mysterious light or the bite mark. Even more pressing, though, was what could have been had Shin and Shuu not shown up. Maybe the little girl would have done something strange again, or maybe the injured bully would have persuaded his friend to call it quits and retreat (although high unlikely). Or worse, both he and she would have been beaten up severely. The very thought of it made him shudder with fright.

Another thing troubled him greatly: why had he charged into the confrontation in the first place? Sure, that girl needed help, and as a student leader from the sixth grade, he was certainly qualified to handle the situation. And yet, it had felt out of place, unnatural, not suited. Any and every word describing a mismatch applied to Jou acting as the "big brother," and he knew it. He, the youngest of his family, nevertheless dove head first into something he couldn't handle. Was there something new emerging from within? Or was he just that idiotic? Or was it a subconscious attempt to impress his father, to break from the norm, to stop being unnoticed?

He didn't know. He just didn't know.

* * *

The car screeched to a halt in front of the school gate. It was still early, so few students littered the grassy courtyard. Jou guessed the majority of who was on campus was probably already inside for the student leader meeting. From the driver's seat, Kido-sensei looked at his son through the rearview mirror.

"Make me proud, Jou," came the stern command. No "have a good time." No "I love you." Not even a smile.

"I will, Dad," the child replied. Without further exchange, he got out of the car, shut the door, and watched as his father drove off to the hospital for Sunday rounds. Jou stood there for a bit, gazing after him, but he soon slung his bag over his shoulder, about-faced, and headed inside for the meeting.

It was everything he thought it would be: boring and tedious, but nonetheless important. The principal went over duties, such as keeping tabs on the group members at all times, being punctual to activities, and taking responsibility for any problems. All this was nothing new to Jou, but the setting wouldn't be the school anymore; they would be at camp, an isolated region far from civilization or a hospital, which worried him a bit. Consequently, he did his best to pay attention, although from his seat by the windows, he could hear shouts from the growing group of eager students. One girl screamed, "You seriously wore a dress to camp?" This was followed by another scream, "You seriously wore overalls outside your apartment?" Jou just shook his head.

The meeting finished at the appointed time, and all student leaders left to join their fellow campers on the lawn. Jou scanned the list of six names in his hand; aside from his name at the top, he only recognized one name, Yagami Taichi, and that was because he had heard it called so many times over the PA system. He couldn't even put a face to it, so he might as well have not known anyone in his group. Then again, Jou didn't really know anyone outside his class or extracurricular activities.

Warm sunshine greeted the boy as he exited the building. He might have thought it pleasant, had an unusually uproarious and rambunctious crowd not accompanied it. Most of the students were actually concentrated in a circle in one area, and those who weren't swiftly made their way there. As much as he hated rowdy crowds, Jou couldn't help but go over there himself. A voice started chanting something, and soon, many others joined it, until practically the entire crowd spoke in unison. The bespectacled boy felt the sweat roll down and gulped when he realized they were chanting "fight." He nervously took a step back and froze. No way he was going to deal with this again! Not a chance! They were at school now, and there were plenty of other sixth-years - and even teachers - to handle it! Surely someone would, anyone but him!

Jou would have retreated to the building, but other kids eager to join the excitement pushed him from behind. Before he knew it, he was thrust into the crowd, and the sea of moving bodies somehow forced him all the way to the very front! He had to dig his heels into the ground to stop himself from falling over and into the center, where two boys rolled on the grass, going at it furiously. By now, everyone had joined the chant, except for Jou and three others across from him. A boy with unruly brownish-red hair stood completely still, dumbfounded. A girl next to him was screaming, but it sounded like she was saying names rather than "fight." There was another boy to her side, very small and sporting green all over; his piercingly high voice shrieked, "Onii-chan!"

"Yamato! Stop it! Taichi! Please!" the girl yelled at the top of her lungs. Either they didn't hear her or they just didn't want to stop. The blonde and the brunette kept punching away, although the brunette, who was on the bottom, looked more like he was flailing.

"50 yen on the foreigner!" someone cried.

"100 yen on Taichou!" another responded.

Jou gulped again, although this time, it wasn't out of fear for his own life. Where were all the responsible people? Why hadn't anyone come to stop this? He identified sixth-years throughout the crowd, but they, too, were chanting and making empty bets. Teachers? Where in the world were they!

_I can't! I just can't do this! I'll die if I go in there! Someone else needs to step in! Please! Someone! Anyone but me! I'm not a leader! I'm just a little kid! No one ever listens to me anyway! Why would they listen? I just… they… I can't…!_

The little green boy on the other side was crying hysterically by now.

"Someone, please! Someone stop them! O-Onii-chan! Make it stop! Onii-chan! SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP!"

Jou clamped his eyes shut.

_Kid, I'm sorry… I just…_

The younger boy's sobs got louder and worse. Opening his eyes again, Jou saw the girl, herself hysterical, and on the verge of spilling tears as well. A faraway voice nagged at the preteen's mind, reverberating like a large pipe organ in a cathedral. Loud. Constant. Urgent.

_Do what is right!_

"Stop…" he mumbled first. Bringing his face up, he repeated, "Stop. Stop it, both of you! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!"

Jou marched straight into the center and, grabbing the blonde by the arms, pulled the two apart with a strength he didn't know he had. All quiet swept over the student body. For the first time in his life, all eyes were on the third son of the Kido family, and they all looked to him for the next move. This bold leader who had come out of nowhere and done something all others were afraid to do. He could feel it.

He was in control.

* * *

A/N: **LAST CHAPTER NEXT WEEK!** Please look forward to it! :D

Also, I started a new story last week called "Back to the Beginning." I'm not going to update it again until I finish this story, but if you have time, please check it out! As always, thank you! ^_^


	9. Bonds

A/N: This is it! As promised, here is the last chapter... AND AN EPILOGUE! :D With this being the end and all, I'm especially requesting that everyone leave a review not just for this chapter, but for the whole story in general. What things you liked, things you didn't like, how I can improve for the future, etc. Also, feel free to make any suggestions for future stories you would like me to write. I can't guarantee that I'll get to do all of them, but I'll keep them in mind (I know PinkCherry12 left a suggestion a while ago... still considering it! :) ).

Ok, enough rambling... please read and enjoy! ^_^

* * *

_**Chapter Eight: Bonds**_

"_H-hi," I mumbled sheepishly. "My name's Yagami Taichi. Pleased to meet you all…"_

_The deafening silence that followed only made me feel even shier, and I rocked back and forth on my heels, not knowing what else to say. Luckily, Fujita-sensei instructed me to sit down at the empty desk a few rows back, saving me from further embarrassment. Fixing my oversized goggles on my forehead, I quickly made my way to my seat and plopped down, hoping the other kids' stares would look elsewhere. I was already starting my first day at a new school, and in the middle of the year to boot! Did they have to make me feel even more awkward?_

_Thankfully, the stares did go away when Fujita-sensei started talking. That is, all except for one, which annoyingly prodded at my soul from my right. With displeasure and a frown, I faced the annoyance and came face-to-face with a girl. She had short hair, hidden under a head covering of sorts, and the biggest, widest, cheesiest smile I had ever seen in my short life of seven years. I didn't care that she was smiling, just that she was smiling at me rather creepily for no apparent reason._

"_Welcome to Dai-San Elementary, Yagami-kun," she whispered enthusiastically._

_On this day, I had only wanted to float through, to go unnoticed in this new place and not make a fool of myself in front of complete strangers. This sudden act of friendliness had consequently caught me off guard, and not knowing what else to do, I merely muttered, "Oh."_

_She left me alone after that, at least for the next hour or two. Our teacher carried on drolly as some kids started staring out the window or picking their noses. I was just beginning to daydream about soccer when something abruptly bumped into my ear. I recoiled and barely stopped myself from falling out of my seat, although my desk rattled a bit. No one said anything about that, though._

"_Fujita-sensei sounds like Yertle the Turtle," a voice quietly giggled into my ear. It was her again. I didn't even say anything this time. I just glanced sideways at her, completely dumbstruck at her comment. Who was Yertle the Turtle, and why was she talking to me anyway?_

_A bell rang for lunchtime, and while my new classmates left for the cafeteria or to meet up with friends, I remained at my desk, silently and solemnly taking out the bento box Mom had prepared._

"_Hey Yagami-kun!" I cringed at the sound of her voice. "Want to eat lunch outside with us?"_

_Truthfully, I had been hoping all morning that I would find a friend in this school, someone I could count on and hang out with and trust. But by then, I was so fed up with her that I flat out refused her offer. I had hoped she would leave with her friends - whom I guessed were the ones hovering behind her - but instead, she stayed, and to my horror, uttered the six words that would change my life forever._

"_Then I'll stay here with you!"_

_And that's how I, on my first day at Dai-San Elementary, ended up eating lunch with "pushy" Takenouchi Sora, just the two of us. "Goggle Boy" and "Hat Girl." The king and queen of the soccer club. The inventors of the infamous Yagami-Takenouchi Super Smash Combo. The Bearers of Courage and Love._

_Best friends for life._

* * *

Yagami Taichi dropped his bag onto the grass and plopped down next to it, sighing heavily as he did. Even though he had been looking forward to this day for months, the boy had a lot going through his mind, mental baggage that weighed him down greatly. The beautiful sunrise and refreshing summer air could do nothing to brighten his dampened spirits.

For one, Hikari was sick. It had started not even a couple weeks ago as a cough and a sore throat. At that time, she had been the one worried about not making it to camp, but Taichi reassured her that there was enough time for her to recover. He had been so sure of himself; now, he just felt guilty. His little sister's condition only worsened over the next several days, and up until her latest doctor's visit, Taichi had held out hope that they would still go to camp together.

"_Just wait, Hikari! We'll go canoeing, we'll sit around the campfire singing songs, and don't forget hiking! You'll be better in time to go, I promise!"_

_Promise_, he muttered to himself. How could he have made an empty promise to his own sister? Nothing killed the soccer captain more than seeing Hikari sad, disappointed, unhappy. Not well. Especially not today.

"_I'm sorry, Onii-chan. I really wanted to be better for today. I'm-"_

"_No, it's okay! Don't worry about it!"_

"_You sure?"_

"_Of course! I just want you to get better, that's all I want. Can you do that for me?"_

"_Okay…"_

Now, as Taichi waited for the buses and the rest of the campers to arrive, Hikari was at home, probably buried under her bed sheets sleeping soundly. It didn't seem fair, but what else could he do about it? What could he do to change Hikari's sickness?

"Taichi!"

He turned his head toward the voice and saw Takenouchi Sora. With a beautiful smile shining on her face, she happily walked over to her best friend. However, Taichi didn't smile back or even wave. He just sat, glaring at the quartet steadily making its way toward him. Trailing behind Sora was Izumi Koushiro, more bright-eyed than usual and gripping the straps of his backpack. Next to him was a boy even smaller than the little computer geek who was probably younger than Hikari, based on his height. Golden hair peeked from under his green hat, hair that unpleasantly reminded the soccer captain of-

Sure enough, walking directly next to Sora was Ishida Yamato himself, the last person Taichi wanted to see right now. His level of disgust only increased when he realized the boy and his best friend were basically wearing the same style of clothing. He stood, continuing to glare as the fellow campers came up to him.

"Hey Taichi!"

"Good morning, Taichi-san!"

"What's he doing here?" the gogglehead demanded bitterly. All smiles disappeared instantly. Yamato snapped his head quickly, glaring back at Taichi. Sora was about to scold Taichi again when, instead, she was interrupted.

"What is your problem!" the taller blonde shot back, making the other three jump.

"You're asking me what my problem is?" Taichi spat angrily.

"What if I am!" Yamato dropped his bag onto the grass. He spread his legs and balled his hands into fists; Taichi did likewise, baring his teeth. Koushiro and the other boy nervously glanced back and forth between the boys.

"H-hey!" Sora called. "T-Taichi, stop this. Just take a deep breath and-"

"Shut it, Sora!" the brunette screamed. "I don't wanna hear it from you either! So just stay outta this!"

"Don't take it out on her!" Yamato yelled back. "If you got a problem with me, then leave it that way!"

"You really wanna know what my problem is, Ishida?" Taichi glanced over at Sora, her red eyes filled with fright. He then returned his gaze to Yamato. The fire in his blue eyes had returned.

"Enlighten me," rumbled Yamato's deep voice. Taichi inhaled deeply, momentarily diverting his eyes to his best friend. His supposed best friend.

"I hate people like you! You go around pretending to be a saint, acting like you don't have a friend in the world, and just when you have everyone fooled, you turn them against anyone you don't like! And if anyone says anything against you, you make everyone pity you and let you cry on their lap! It's sick! You're sick! You may have fooled Sora and everyone, but I'm not buying your act! Not now, not ever! Why don't you just go back home and cry on your mommy's lap!"

Sora gasped, completely appalled.

"Taichi! What are you-"

BAM!

The little blonde screamed, his hands flying up to his cheeks. Koushiro's own hands fell to his sides as he took a step back, mouth gaping. Taichi took a step back, too, cupping his cheek where Yamato had struck him. Yamato - his expression burning with rage - panted heavily, and his arm remained outstretched.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YAGAMI! DON'T PRETEND YOU KNOW ME! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!"

Taichi painfully wiped the corner of his mouth.

"I KNOW ENOUGH TO NOT WANT TO KNOW ANYMORE!" the soccer captain yelled back, and as he did, he stepped forward quickly with his hands in front of him. Planting his palms into Yamato's shoulders, he shoved his opponent with all his might. The blonde backpedaled a short distance before charging at Taichi.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He tackled the brunette; a split second later, the two angry boys were rolling on the grass, fighting for dominance. A voice in the distance announced the beginning of a fight, and soon enough, a crowd of cheering students formed around the two fifth-years.

"Onii-chan!"

"Yamato! Stop it! Taichi! Please!"

"50 yen on the foreigner!"

"100 yen on Taichou!"

As Takaishi Takeru, the smaller blonde, strained to reach his brother with his shrill voice, he caught a glimpse of Yamato's eyes. No longer were they the kind blue eyes of the brother who had protected him in their earlier days. No longer did they emanate hope for a better future, themselves yearning for peace. No longer were they the same eyes as his, or their mother's. Takeru saw in those eyes, that anger drove Yamato and nothing else. His tears didn't matter. Sora's words didn't matter. Even the fact that the entire student population of Odaiba Elementary was jeering him on didn't matter. Pure, raw anger didn't need a reason to reveal itself. He just wanted to run free, like a wild animal urged on by instinct.

Takeru recognized that Yamato's instinct told him to kill or be killed. And it scared him more than his bickering parents ever did.

"Someone, please! Someone stop them! O-Onii-chan! Make it stop! Onii-chan! SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP!"

In the midst of all the chaos, a miracle happened. Three heartfelt prayers were heard, and when all hope seemed lost, a hero stepped in to rescue these troubled souls.

"Stop. Stop it, both of you! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!"

From out of nowhere, a tall, lanky boy with glasses strode into the fray, and with inhuman strength, pulled Yamato off Taichi. The angry blonde tried to break free from his restrainer, while the battered brunette, looking more terrified than anything, quickly got to his feet. Silence seized the on-looking crowd.

"You still wanna go, Ishida?" Taichi screamed, his voice cracking. "I'll take you on! C'mon!"

He charged again, evoking a shriek from a frantic Sora. At the last second, the boy with glasses swung his body around, putting himself between Yamato and Taichi. The brunette impacted with the lanky boy's body, bouncing backward and onto the dewy grass. Glasses went flying through the air, but the other two were able to stay standing. Yamato stopped struggling.

"Enough!" the blue-haired boy ordered. "That's enough from both of you! And the rest of you as well! Section III.A.9 of the Student Code of Conduct clearly states that any student indirectly involved in physical conflicts between other students will be punished accordingly! Now move!"

Few individuals left immediately, but all heeded their senior's warning. With everyone glancing nervously at each other, the entire crowd was soon compelled to disperse, until only six were left: Kido Jou, Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, Koushiro, and Sora. Only then did an adult finally appear.

"What happened here!" demanded Fujiyama-sensei as he approached the remaining group. "Explain yourselves!"

Taichi, still on his behind, pointed an angry finger at Yamato's back.

"He started it!"

"I don't care if you or Ishida or Takenouchi started it, because I'm going to finish it!" the angry teacher stated sternly. His student fell silent, crossing his arms across his chest and diverting his gaze elsewhere. Fujiyama-sensei then turned to Jou. "Kido-kun, isn't it? Tell me what happened."

"Well sensei," the responsible one began, returning his glasses to his face, "simply put, these two boys were fighting, and I stopped them."

"I see." The older man stroked his chin. He then faced Taichi again. "Should I make you stay home from the camping trip, Yagami-kun?"

Taichi didn't move. At this point, he could care less about what happened to him. No one here cared about him anyway. Not even Sora.

"Well, if you're not going to respond, then-"

"Please!" Everyone turned to look at Sora. Her face was down, and her hat only made it harder to see her expression. "Please, Fujiyama-sensei, don't send Taichi home!"

"Oh?" He crossed his arms. "Give me a good reason why not, Takenouchi-kun."

The girl's body shook a bit before she continued. "Just… Please, sensei, don't punish Taichi. Not today. Please, punish him when we get back from camp, but don't do it today!"

Jou stepped in next. He had to do something.

"Fujiyama-sensei, I'll take full responsibility for Yagami-kun. He's in my activity group, so I can keep an eye on him while we're at camp."

"Well, if it's you, Kido-kun, then I suppose it's all right," came the reluctant reply. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Yes, sensei, I'm sure!"

"Alright then. Now, what about Ishida-kun?"

This time, Takeru butted in, hiccoughing and wiping away the mucus.

"Please sir, don't send Onii-chan home! I-I… I haven't seen Onii-chan in almost a year! I d-don't want to go to camp without him! Please!"

The boy's puffy red eyes and innocent pleadings were more than enough for Fujiyama-sensei to change his mind, and so he decided to let this incident slide, although as punishment, Taichi and Yamato would sit in the front of the bus with him. The teacher promptly walked away to attend to another matter. Yamato, not looking up at anyone, grabbed his bag and Takeru and walked off as well, with Jou following to check up on things. Feeling a weird vibe, Koushiro quietly slipped away, leaving Taichi and Sora alone. Taichi finally got up, still pouting, and grabbed his bag.

"Man, what a jerk," he muttered under his breath. He did it so quietly that he barely heard a sniff. Turning toward Sora, he saw her body shaking a little, the back of her hand against her nose or mouth. She sniffed again, and Taichi gulped. Was she crying?

"Sora?" No response. The boy leaned in closer and repeated her name. "Are you okay?"

"Why…?" she asked silently. Taichi raised an eyebrow. "Why did it end up like this…? … Taichi, why are… do I have to push you two off a cliff before you start getting along?"

Covering her face with her gloved hands, she ran off toward the other kids. Taichi just stood there, mouth hanging open. He couldn't believe what was happening. Sora was crying. He had just gotten in a fight. His first. And somehow, he had narrowly avoided being sent home, all thanks to Sora and that glasses kid, Jou. He felt numb. He didn't feel like himself at all, not during the fight, and not now.

He felt lost, and completely alone.

* * *

Excited chatter filled the large charter bus as the students eagerly discussed what they would do once they arrived at their destination. The only two who weren't sat in the front seats just behind the driver, both crossing their arms and looking in opposite directions. Yamato, still simmering with lingering anger, stared out the window at the passing scenery, which had transformed into grassy fields by now. In the aisle seat, Taichi also stared into the distance. Fujiyama-sensei was across the aisle, enthusiastically telling Kamamoto-sensei about his days on his junior high school's soccer team (the soccer coach pretending to listen and nodding every so often), but the young soccer captain wasn't paying attention to them. He wasn't paying attention to anything, in fact. The boy was deeply lost in thought and was using this opportune moment of silence to sort out some things.

Sora crying didn't sit well with his conscience, especially since it was because of his fighting. Despite all this, he had woken up this morning completely enraged with her, and Yamato. Actually, he had woken up these past few mornings quite angry with the pair, ever since he overheard that they were a pair just last week. He had shamelessly butted into a group of girls that was discussing how cute Sora and Yamato were together, claiming that they were the best couple in Odaiba Elementary. Taichi couldn't believe his ears until one of the girls informed him that they were official, ever since their lovey-dovey date in Harajuku a few weeks ago. Something had snapped in his brain at that point. Jealousy, anger, depression, loneliness, hate, betrayal. It didn't matter. All he knew was that Sora was going behind his back and obviously didn't want him to know.

Then again, why did she need to tell him everything? She was a girl, after all, and girls needed to keep some things secret, right? She was at that age when girls supposedly started changing and getting extremely girly in the weird sense, even the tomboys. Maybe that's what was happening to her. Even though they were best friends, they were born different, and he couldn't change that. What Sora needed now was not just a sympathetic ear, but the sympathetic ear of a fellow female. Like Hikari.

_Hikari…_ Taichi leaned his head back into the headrest and sighed. Was that the reason why he felt so… attached to Sora? _Maybe… yeah, that's it. That explains everything! Why I feel so jealous and possessive of her when she's with Ishida! I love her like I love Hikari! Like a sister!_

With this revelation, his mind took a stroll down memory lane. Seven-year-old Sora following a less-than-happy Taichi on his way home from his new school in Hikarigaoka, going so far as to invite herself into his apartment and meet the whole Yagami family. The annoyed boy had done his best to shield them from this creepy girl, especially Hikari, but to his horror, his baby sister had taken to Sora the most easily. From then on, Hikari refused to go out with her brother unless "Sora-tan" went with them, to which Taichi begrudgingly obliged. The three of them did everything together, from playing on the swings to soccer to just plain walking around; within weeks, Taichi found it hard to not enjoy Sora's company, and it didn't take much longer before the two started hanging out without Hikari.

When the two families relocated to Odaiba almost simultaneously, the three friends had immediately met up to explore their new surroundings. They visited Big Sight and Palette Town and watched boats come into the harbor. However, Hikari, who had initially watched in amazement, suddenly fainted, later saying she had been scared by the monster in the water. This was only the first of many "monster sightings" claimed by the young girl; Taichi suspected, however, that even though she didn't report them out loud anymore, she still saw the monsters, whether they were real or not.

Unfortunately, she didn't stop soon enough, and before long, people were whispering about "that weird Yagami girl." Needless to say, it was hard for someone as hotheaded and impulsive as Taichi to resist lashing out at those gossiping about Hikari, especially when she wasn't around. He almost got into a few fights because of it, but he never did, due in part to two factors. The first was his own feelings of guilt. There were times when he himself believed his sister was delusional at best and wondered if defending her was really worth it. The second was Sora. Whereas Taichi's resolve wavered every now and then, Sora stood firmly and maintained Hikari's integrity without question.

"She's not a handicap, Taichi," she had told him, "so don't treat her like one."

_Sora, you stuck by me even when I didn't want you to, and you stuck by Hikari when no one else would_, he thought to himself as he squeezed his eyes shut, _not even me._

He stood up, light bouncing off his goggles as he did.

"Taichi!" Kamamoto-sensei called, glad to interrupt Fujiyama-sensei's story of how he broke his fibula in a soccer match. "You shouldn't stand when the bus is moving!"

"I have to go to the bathroom!" the boy replied loudly to be heard. Everyone on the bus groaned. It was an emergency though, so Taichi didn't care. In fact, he was quite amused when he stepped out of the lavatory in the back and a group of fourth-year girls pinched their noses, desperate to get away from the smell. Trying to hide his smirk, he strode down toward the front.

A hand grabbed his wrist, preventing him from going any further; he looked down in response. Koushiro sat by the window, typing away madly on a yellow-and-white PiBook and not paying much attention to anything else. Between him and Taichi sat Sora, facing her best friend but not looking at him; the brunette couldn't bring himself to look at her directly either.

"Taichi," her soft voice began, "what happened this morning?"

"What do you mean?" he mumbled back just barely audibly.

"Why… did you say those things about Yamato? Where's your proof?"

And so he told her everything. How she and Yamato were seeing each other behind his back and were going on fancy dates already, like in Harajuku. How they already pledged to get married and leave him - her best friend - completely out of the loop. How the whole school knew about them, except him. A moment of quiet followed the last word.

"Harajuku?" she asked. "You said, Harajuku?"

"Yeah, some kids saw you two, and that's when everyone found out."

Sora let go of his wrist. Reaching under the seat in front of her, she brought out her backpack, unzipped it slowly, and pulled out something. A rectangular box covered with orange wrapping paper and tied with a blue ribbon. This she gave to him, without glancing up, and he received it.

"Happy birthday, Taichi."

The boy, after giving his thanks, quickly unwrapped the present. Inside the box, he found a mini-telescope, not the cheap kind out of a claw machine or a toy dispenser, but a high quality, high zoom mini-telescope that fit in his pocket just perfectly. He eagerly tested it out, looking all directions on the bus and outside the bus, smile ear-to-ear.

"Wow Sora, this must've cost a fortune! Thank you so much!"

Whereas Taichi's spirits had brightened, Sora's seemingly remained dampened, for she still didn't smile or make eye contact with her friend.

"We were in Harajuku," she explained slowly, "shopping for your birthday present, and that was it. It wasn't a date at all. In fact, it was Yamato's idea to even go there to look, and he paid for it because I didn't bring enough money. I wanted to at least split the cost, but he insisted."

The mini-telescope in his hand fell to his side; the smile disappeared as well. Taichi couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"S-so," he stammered, "it wasn't a date?"

"No, we're not dating and we never will. We're just friends, Taichi, just like you and me."

Taichi didn't say anything, and when Sora realized he wouldn't, she continued.

"There's a lot of stuff you don't know about Yamato, things I don't think I have the right to tell you myself, but if you knew - if he ever decided to tell you - you would think a lot differently about him."

Silence fell over the two friends, both practically drowning in their thoughts of what had happened not just that morning, but in the past few months, as well as their future. What was done was done, they couldn't change that, and as much as Taichi wanted to, the fact sank much deeper into his mind. Yamato had done so much for him, and he never even knew. How could he make it up to him? How could he mend what was already broken?

There he stood, lost in his own world, so lost that he didn't notice three pairs of eyes glaring angrily at the fourth occupant just in the next row. Still pinching her nose, Tachikawa Mimi merely smiled at her friends, embarrassed, and gave a nervous V-sign with her free hand, chuckling as she did.

"You dow, dat means Yamado-san is sdill single!"

"DON'T DINK YOU'RE GEDDING OFF DAT EASILY!" three voices shot back simultaneously.

* * *

"NOOOOOOOOOOO! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO…!"

Taichi, Sora, Yamato, and Koushiro all covered their ears, but to no avail. The pink girl's screams were too noisy and too shrill to block out with any success. Even Jou, who had bravely grabbed the bull by the horns that morning, was having little to no success in calming her down. In fact, he was probably making it worse.

"But Mimi-kun, you'll make more friends this way! It'll be fun getting to know new people!"

"NO! I WANNA BE WITH AI-CHAN AND MII-CHAN AND TAAKO-CHAN! I DON'T WANNA BE WITH THE SOCCER FREAKS! I DON'T EVEN WANNA BE HERE! I… I WANNA GO TO THE BAHAMAS!"

With their belongings packed away in their tents, the students had been assembled into their activity groups. The groups had been assigned according to a survey given to the registered students a couple months ago (Taichi picked Sora and Koushiro, Sora picked Yamato and Koushiro, and Koushiro picked Taichi and Sora). In poor Mimi's case, however, she had registered too late to have any say about her activity group, and so she had been put in the only group with just four students. Needless to say, not one was Mii, Taako, or Ai.

As if it wasn't enough that Taichi and Yamato were in Jou's activity group. The sixth-year had started shaking nervously when both the brunette and the blonde had come forward as Jou called their names. He didn't mind dealing with just Taichi or just Yamato, but both of them? And for two weeks?

_Is there a Buddhist chant for protection from physical harm in general?_ he had beseeched.

"Well everyone!" Jou shouted just above Mimi's cries. "If I didn't say before, my name is Kido Jou, and I hope we can all be on a given-name basis in these next two weeks! OKAY, MIMI-KUN?"

Her state of hysteria continued. Taichi glanced down at Koushiro. The short redhead glanced back at him. Farther down the line, Sora uncovered her ears with a look that was more apologetic than anything. Next to her, Yamato did likewise, although his face was still hardened, making Taichi gulp. The frightening expression melted away, though, when Takeru came bounding toward the group. The little blonde was all smiles.

"Onii-chan, I don't have anything to do until lunch! Let's go exploring!"

"I'll be right back," Yamato said, more to Sora than anything, and promptly went to meet Takeru halfway. He grabbed his hand and led him away from the group without another word. With Jou's, and now Sora's, attention directed at Mimi, Taichi and Koushiro gazed after the two.

"_Onii-chan?"_ Taichi wondered. _Are those two related? But why haven't I seen that kid before today?_

Finally, Mimi calmed down, no thanks to Jou. Sora had stepped in and said a few comforting words, giving some peace of mind to the distressed girl. The wide brim of her matching pink hat cast a large shadow on her frowning face.

Taichi's eyes suddenly brightened, and a mischievous smile cracked across his face. Koushiro saw this.

"Taichi-san?"

Without a sound, the ace striker dashed past Mimi, snatching her hat off her head. The shrieks and screams from his activity group members grew softer as the distance between them grew. Taichi kept his face forward; he had to hurry, or he might miss them!

There they were! Yamato and Takeru hadn't gone far, and with their backs to him, they certainly didn't expect to be overrun by the energetic soccer captain.

"Pass!" Taichi yelled. As he ran by the two blondes, he swiftly and accurately plopped the stolen item onto Yamato's head, completely taking the boy by surprise. The capped blonde made a face at Taichi as the brunette continued running at top speeds.

"What is he-?"

"OI!"

Yamato and Takeru turned, only to see an angry Sora and a furious Mimi running their way, followed closely by Koushiro. These past few months in the soccer club had done the ten-year-old some good in the speed department as he had no trouble keeping up with the girls' longer legs. Far in the distance, their fearless student leader was yelling - more like freaking out - at them to come back, as they had yet to agree on group standard protocol and discuss other important matters, like bathroom facility use. Amidst the chaos, Yamato's brain flew into "fight or flight" mode, and since it was him and Takeru versus two infuriated females, he chose flight.

"Run Takeru!"

Taichi quickly glanced backward without slowing down. Sure enough, Yamato was following him, practically dragging Takeru along.

_Perfect!_

Channeling every ounce of energy into his legs, the soccer star increased his speed tenfold, beginning to run up the stairs on the side of the mountain. Yamato was a talented runner, too, and accelerated to match Taichi's speed; Takeru couldn't feel his feet hitting the ground anymore. Meanwhile, Sora wasn't giving up, but the other, more delicate girl was far beyond her limit, panting and slowing down immensely. Her shorter classmate had not quite gotten used to his new speed, though, and he barely stopped short of ramming into her, his foot stepping on the heel of her boot. The friction slipped the footwear off and sent Mimi flying face first into the dirt. Koushiro bit his lip tensely as the air filled with another round of the princess' laments.

"I HATE THIS! I DON'T WANNA BE HERE ANYMORE! I HATE CAMPING! MAMA! PAPA!"

A gentle hand grabbed onto the sobbing girl's arm.

"Are you all right, Mimi-chan?"

"No! No, I'm not all right!"

"Is there anything I can do? Should I get a first aid kit?"

"No, I just want my hat back!"

Getting to her feet, Mimi opened her eyes and came face-to-face with Sora. The older girl's face, however, was contorted into something reflecting puzzlement and suspicion.

"Mimi-chan," the tomboy drawled out, "do I know you from before? Because I'm getting a strange feeling of déjà vu…"

For the second time that morning, Mimi smiled nervously and chuckled, flashing a V-sign at Sora with her free hand.

"May… all your dreams… come true…?"

* * *

Taichi finally reached the top of the stairs, his throat dry and lungs on fire by now. He had come upon a clearing in front of the forest, where an abandoned shrine stood, untouched for so many years. Jogging a little farther, the eleven-year-old finally collapsed at the base of the nearest tree, just as Yamato and Takeru made it up to the clearing. The older boy finally let go of Takeru, who was more than confused by now, and marched over to Taichi, throwing Mimi's hat onto the ground as he did. His eyebrows narrowed over his blue eyes in annoyance.

"What… are you… doing, Yagami!" he demanded between labored breaths. "What… in the world… are you… doing!"

The brunette stood, still panting but more rested than his classmate. Yamato tried to prepare himself for another confrontation, but the chase had worn him out immensely; the best he could do was clench and unclench his fist once. Chocolate-brown eyes locked with blue eyes, temporarily gripping the two in their own world. Then, Taichi smiled.

"It's today," he began. At this, Yamato's eyebrows raised. Taichi continued, "Today… today is my birthday. Thanks for the mini-telescope… Yamato."

"Sora-san and the others are here!" Takeru announced excitedly.

And with that, the soccer captain scurried up the tree, disappearing into the branches and leaving Yamato completely speechless. Taichi's head poked through the leaves, still donning that smile of friendship.

"By the way, don't tell Sora I'm up here."

"Takeru-kun!" Sora called, gasping for air as she finished her climb. Mimi and Koushiro weren't far behind. "Takeru-kun, where is he? Where's Taichi!"

"Um… well… uhh… Onii-chan?"

"MY HAT!" Mimi shrieked when she saw her prized possession laying carelessly in the dirt. She almost ran poor Takeru down as she swiftly made her way to the abandoned thing, before a gust of wind blew it a few meters away. The already exhausted princess frantically ran after it.

"Fascinating…" Koushiro breathed, gazing upon the structure they had discovered. Ignoring everything else around him, the boy made his way to the shrine and intensely studied the architecture and build of the shrine.

"Where is he!" Sora continued, unrelenting. "Yamato, tell me where he is!"

Yamato, still stunned from Taichi's statement, slowly walked over to the top of the stairs, where Sora and Takeru were standing.

"Tell me where he is, Yamato."

"Umm, you see…" He eyed the green foliage, admiring the richness in color and the vitality of life that shone through those leaves. He also admired how well they concealed the mischief-maker hiding behind them. "I… don't know where Taichi went."

Sora groaned, exasperated. She was so exasperated as she walked over to the edge of the forest that she didn't realize Yamato had called her best friend by his given name. Takeru saw as his brother looked back at the tree, as well as a change in his eyes. It was as if something had wavered. Maybe resolve? The younger boy couldn't tell anymore; in the time he had been apart from his brother, he had forgotten how to read his expressions.

Truthfully, Yamato didn't know what it was himself. All he knew was that Yagami Taichi, who had antagonized him since his first day at Odaiba Elementary, had called him by his given name and thanked him for the birthday gift he had bought. No apology. No explanation. Nothing that was logical or made sense.

And so, Ishida Yamato also did something that was illogical and made no sense. He smiled at the tree, his fullest, most genuine, most sincere smile since before his family's first move. Maybe even in his life. It was ironic because he wasn't even sure that Taichi could see him through all those leaves, and yet he gave that gesture everything he had. The boy felt numb inside, but it was okay, because he was smiling.

Situated on a thick branch, Taichi saw as Jou finally made his way up the stairs, panting and lugging a huge messenger bag, which he had fetched before chasing after his unruly group members (he had filled it with emergency supplies, wanting to be prepared for anything). The gogglehead laughed at the sorry sight and determined that he would have as much fun with his student leader in these next two weeks as he could, whether teasing him or giving him a headache with his antics. Who knew, maybe Yamato could join him. Sora wouldn't for sure, Koushiro might, and Mimi… well, never mind her…

The soccer captain shifted his gaze to the clearing below, where he could see everyone easily without being detected. Sora stood scowling in the middle, having given up on finding him anytime soon. Mimi had finally caught her hat and was now squatting as she brushed away the dirt. Koushiro was sitting on the edge of the shrine walkway, on his new PiBook again, probably researching the design of the little building. Takeru was chasing a butterfly, which landed on a flower. He got on all fours as Yamato looked on, maybe even beaming at the little boy.

_The nervous wreck, the tomboy, the princess, the techno-geek, the tag-along, the loner, and me, the awesome leader himself_, Taichi chuckled to himself as he laid down on the branch. _What a weird group we have here. If only… If only Hikari was here, too… I wonder what she's…_

With his last thought on his little sister, he closed his eyes and settled in for a long afternoon nap.

* * *

A/N: It's not quite over yet! One more chapter! :D (which I don't really consider a chapter since it's the epilogue...)

And now for the obligatory cultural references and disclaimers...

I have no idea when Taichi's birthday actually is, and I have no canonical evidence suggesting that it's even in August. The idea that Yamato and Sora were shopping for Taichi's birthday present popped up in the brainstorming stage, but somehow in the drafting stage, August 1 became his birthday... IDK, that's just how it happened ^_^'

Yertle the Turtle is a Dr. Seuss character who stars in the story "Yertle the Turtle" ... do I even have to mention this? XP I don't know how widely read Dr. Seuss is, so let's just assume that the books were translated into Japanese and chibi-Sora read them. I just thought of this because one of my friends said our lab instructor sounds like Yertle the Turtle the day before I started this chapter (which he does ^_^ ).


	10. Summer Break 1999, Day One

Don't forget where you come from, because it shapes who you become…

**_Epilogue: Summer Break 1999 - Day One_**

_Instructions__: Keep a daily journal of your activities and thoughts this summer. The entries can be however long or short you want, as long as it is clear you put effort into it. Some entries will be shared in class, others will be used for future projects. Do your best and have a safe and enjoyable summer!_

* * *

What can I say… I don't know what to say. I don't even know what to think! One minute, he hates me for not doing anything, the next, he's inviting me to join his posse of a club, before blowing up in my face in front of the whole team. And then, the next thing I know, we're getting into a fistfight, only for him to call me by my given name later that same day. Smiling no less. Inconsistent much? Does he have multiple personality disorder?

I'm so confused…

But then, I guess it makes sense in a weird sort of way. A nice girl like Sora is his best friend, after all, and I've seen how acts with his teammates. As much as we've fought, as much as we've clashed in these past four months, I can't help but feel that there's more to Yagami Taichi than I initially thought. Like an iceberg. And I think I scraped against the part just beneath the surface.

_I think you and Yagami-kun could teach each other a thing or two about people._

I still don't know what you were talking about back then, Dad, but maybe - just maybe - I'll find out in these next two weeks. It's not a lot of time, but a lot can still happen. How much can two eleven-year-olds learn from each other in just two weeks?

I guess I don't have a choice except to find out.

* * *

"_Could you help us out in the soccer club over the summer? I, uh… we, could really use your help."_

I should've expected that. He never thinks ahead unless it involves soccer. I almost feel stupid for thinking he would ask…. something of me. Right there. While we were alone. In the classroom…

But I know Taichi the best out of everyone. I'm his best friend after all! … Right?

Seeing him like that, hearing him talk like that this morning… I didn't know what to think. Where were you coming from, Taichi? Why did you say those things to Yamato? Why did you say those things to me? I'm your best friend, and you mine.

Did you want to see me cry…?

I'm calling your name for the thousandth time now, and you still won't answer. It's not just from today, though; I've been calling to you ever since your first match last May. When Yamato transferred to our class, you started acting differently around me. I thought I figured out the reason at the soccer field, but nothing's happened to suggest that it's true. So here I am, still waiting for an answer.

For better or for worse, you're changing, Taichi, and I know that. Just please, don't leave me behind.

* * *

I celebrated my tenth birthday last week, the second one for which I received a laptop. In the process of downloading an analysis program, my PDQ completely crashed and was rendered irrecoverable, I suppose because it didn't have enough memory space for it. Opening the box and pulling out a brand-new PiBook meant two things to me. Firstly, I could expand my operations by downloading that program; secondly, my parents trusted me immensely to buy such an expensive gift for me. I should've been thankful - and I was - but I could only feel guilty. Why would they endow such a lavish gift on a boy who wasn't even-?

No, I've got to stop thinking that way. Even if I'm not their… they still love me, and I love them. Nothing's changed between us. We're a family, ever since I was a baby, and we'll always be a family. I am Izumi Koushiro, and I carry their family name.

If it were that easy, though, I probably wouldn't have come to camp. I wouldn't have stayed those long hours after school, surfing the Internet and downloading complex programs. I wouldn't have joined the soccer club, which practices almost every day and has a game on the days when there isn't practice. I wouldn't have tried to escape for nearly a year to the day…

I have some sort of reprieve for the next two weeks at least. During this time, I hope I can learn to be a stronger person, like Taichi-san and Sora-san. Maybe by being with them during group activities, I can learn to confront my problems and face them head-on. That way, when I do return to Odaiba, I can face my parents, and we can return to the way things were.

And maybe, we can be happy again.

* * *

"Hikari, why don't you go to bed so I can tuck you in before we go?"

"It's okay, Mommy, I'll be fine."

"All right… would you like me to change the channel?"

"No, I want to watch the news right now."

"Not your Sunday morning cartoons?"

"No, thank you."

"… All right then, behave yourself."

"We'll call when we get to Grandma's!"

"… Mommy? Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"What is it, honey? … Hikari, what's wrong? You look pale. Are you sure you're all right?"

"… Yeah, just… be careful, okay?"

"Don't worry about a thing, we'll be back later this evening."

"Take care!"

The front door closed behind them, while the news anchor continued the headline report on the strange weather phenomena occurring all over the world. Footage from every corner of the globe flashed across the screen, depicting flash floods, subzero temperatures, droughts, blizzards, and tornados, all in places they weren't supposed to be scientifically. Hikari could only watch in horror as every region shown was steadily devastated by bigger, scarier, more terrifying monsters.

* * *

I knew there was something different about Onii-chan when he picked me up at the train station yesterday. He didn't smile when I ran to hug him, and he didn't even ask if I had been all right since the last time we saw each other. I thought he was just too glad to see me, so happy that he couldn't say or do anything.

But after the fight this morning, when we got to his new school, I was shocked. Onii-chan had always taught me to ignore bullies and avoid fights, no matter what. That wasn't the only thing that surprised me, though. When I saw his eyes, I couldn't recognize him. Onii-chan was always kind and gentle, and he was always friendly with everyone. Those eyes held nothing but rage in them, and they burned more fiercely as the fight went on.

I wondered if that's how my eyes looked when I fought Yuuto-san.

When I was in the heat of the fight, I couldn't understand that I was doing anything wrong, but seeing it from an outsider's view, I suddenly realize why fighting's bad. People get hurt, whether they're involved or not, and nothing gets solved in the end. It just makes things worse. That's why I've decided to never fight again; I already promised Mama, but now I'm promising myself. There's always another way, a way that's much better than physically hurting each other.

And I choose that way.

* * *

I tried to tell myself that I'd at least be with Mii-chan and Taako-chan and Ai-chan when I got to camp, but no! I can't even be with my best friends in this forsaken wasteland far from civilization! I want a real bed! I want a real roof! I want real food that's cooked on an electric stove! This isn't fun at all! As if it wasn't enough that Mii-chan teased me about not getting to go to the Bahamas. Now I'm stuck with some weirdos for the next two weeks! I'm stuck with the soccer freaks! Just when I thought it couldn't be any more uncomfortable, Sora-san suspects me now. I can't believe she remembers something as ridiculous as a pink teddy bear falling into a water fountain. I wouldn't!

My whole life is a mess. I just wish I could be whisked away to an island paradise far from this stuffy campground at the base of a frigid mountain… For goodness sake, it's August and I'm freezing to death!

* * *

Dear Shin-nii-san and Shuu-nii-san,

I hope this letter finds you well. Today started off rather interestingly as I found myself once again in the center of a physical confrontation. To make things even more interesting, the persons involved in said confrontation both happen to be in my activity group! But do not worry, I have everything under control.

Speaking of, the members of my activity group are quite energetic. They run pretty efficiently for youngsters, and all have an excellent pair of lungs. I hope they are looking forward to these next two weeks as much as I am.

Well, I am afraid that this is all for now. As it is almost lunchtime, I must go round up my group members, whom I allowed to do some exploring before the appointed time. I promise to write often on our daily activities and will see you both upon my return in two weeks' time.

Your brother,

Jou

* * *

Somehow, I don't think thanking someone for a birthday present qualifies as an apology, but it's a start. But then, I don't even know how to apologize for everything. I don't even know why I started disliking Yamato in the first place. He must be a good guy; I've seen him around other people in these past few months, and someone as nice as Sora is friends with him. Why can't I just treat him the way I treat everyone else?

Maybe it's those things that Sora told me about, but didn't tell me about. Do they have something to do with why he moved to Odaiba in the first place? And that little blonde, too? Has something tragic happened in his life that made him who he is today? Although, like she said, if he ever chose to tell me these things, I'd think differently about him.

I'm already thinking differently about Yamato. I treated him so badly, yet he went out of his way to get me something for my birthday. I don't know if that's what you would call a friend, but that's certainly not an enemy!

So, we have two weeks until we return to the city. It's not a whole lot of time if you think about it, but a lot can happen between now and then. You never know really. It could go by quickly, or it could go by slowly. Whichever it is, I've made up my mind on what I'm going to do this summer.

I'm going to make amends, and maybe even a friend, so that when we do go back home, I'll be a better person.

* * *

And with that, we have come to the end! ^_^ This is actually a milestone achievement for me, because this is the first multiple-chapter story I have finished. Ever! I'm so happy! XD

I do want to thank everyone who reviewed "Snapshots" while it was still incomplete. BookwormGal, PinkCherry12, Anarchaic, crestoflight3, venus9814, Ember Mage, digiwriter1392, fireangel08, and Carochinha, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR FEEDBACK! I appreciated every word! ^_^ Also, thank you to everyone who has kept returning, even if you didn't leave a review. Just knowing that people keep coming back is so encouraging, so thanks! :)

And now, I would like to give special thanks to someone who has been with me since beginning "Snapshots." Even when I knew he was really busy and had more important things to do, he still took the time to sit down and work with me, giving me suggestions and helping me brainstorm when I was too tired to think. I'm talking about my chief editor: my brother. After Hikari's chapter, he challenged me to do better, to make the story more intense with each installment. I never published a chapter without his stamp of approval, and I couldn't feel good about an idea unless he said it himself. So thank you, Onii-chan! Thank you so much! ^_^

Again, please leave a final review! It would be most appreciated :) thanks again for taking this journey with me, and please look forward to my future works!


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